Commission Regulation (EC) No 780/2004 of 26 April 2004 on transitional measures pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the import and transit of certain products from certain third countries (Text with EEA relevance)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 780/2004
of 26 April 2004
on transitional measures pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the import and transit of certain products from certain third countries
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 of 3 October 2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down health rules concerning animal by-products not intended for human consumption(1), as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 668/2004(2), and in particular Article 32(1) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 provides for a complete revision of Community rules concerning animal by-products not intended for human consumption, including the introduction of a number of strict requirements. In addition, it provides that appropriate transitional measures may be adopted.
(2) In view of the strict nature of those requirements, it has been necessary to provide transitional measures for certain Member States to allow industry sufficient time to adjust. These transitional measures are laid down in a number of Commission decisions and regulations.
(3) Commission Regulation (EC) No 812/2003(3), as amended by Regulation (EC) No 2268/2003(4), provides general transitional measures for third countries until 30 April 2004. That Regulation establishes that the Commission shall propose further detailed transitional rules for products for which adequate justification has been provided.
(4) Certain third countries have provided adequate justification requesting specific transitional measures. Accordingly, such transition should be provided to enable the continuing implementation by those third-country operators exporting to the Community of current standards concerning the separation of Category 1, 2 and 3 processing plants.
(5) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,