Commission Regulation (EC) No 811/2003 of 12 May 2003 implementing Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the intra-species recycling ban for fish, the burial and burning of animal by-products and certain transitional measures (Text with EEA relevance)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 811/2003
of 12 May 2003
implementing Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the intra-species recycling ban for fish, the burial and burning of animal by-products and certain transitional measures
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to the Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down health rules concerning animal-by-products not intended for human consumption(1), as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 808/2003(2), and in particular Article 22(2), Article 24(6) and Article 32(1) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 provides for a prohibition on the feeding of animals with processed animal protein derived from animals of the same species. Derogations may be granted in relation to fish after consultation of the appropriate scientific committee.
(2) The Scientific Steering Committee issued an opinion on 17 September 1999 on the risks arising from recycling animal by-products as feed with regard to propagating TSE in non-ruminant farmed animals. It also issued another opinion on 6 and 7 March 2003 on the feeding of wild fishmeal to farmed fish and recycling of fish with regard to the risk of TSE. The Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare adopted an opinion on 26 February 2003 on the use of fish by-products in aquaculture. According to those scientific opinions, the potential risk from recycling fish may be reduced by fulfilling a number of conditions.
(3) Accordingly, a derogation should be granted from the intra-species recycling ban for fish under Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002. In order to avoid a risk to public and animal health, that derogation should be subject to certain conditions.
(4) It is necessary to provide for transitional measures, to allow adequate time for the industry to adjust to the new requirements.
(5) The Scientific Steering Committee issued an opinion on 16 and 17 January 2003 on the safety vis-Ă -vis TSEs as regards the burial and burning of potentially TSE infected animal materials.
(6) In order to take account of that opinion it is necessary to lay down implementing measures pursuant to Article 24(6) of Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 on how burial and burning of animal by-products should be carried out.
(7) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,