4. Exemptions from paragraph 1 may be granted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 19(2) when it is possible to obtain the guarantees referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article in another manner. Article 15 Special provisions for fishery products 1. The procedures laid down in this Chapter do not apply to fresh fishery products landed in the Community directly from a fishing vessel flying the flag of a third country. Official controls with respect to such fishery products shall take place in accordance with Annex III. 2. (a) Fishery products imported from a factory or freezer vessel flying the flag of a third country shall come from vessels that appear on a list drawn up and updated in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 12(4). (b) However, by way of exemption from Article 12(2)(b), a vessel may also be included on such lists: (i) on the basis of a joint communication from the competent authority of the third country the flag of which the vessel is flying and from the competent authority of another third country to which the former competent authority has delegated responsibility for the inspection of the vessel concerned, on condition that: — that third country appears on the list of third countries, drawn up in accordance with Article 11, from which imports of fisheries products are permitted, — all fishery products from the vessel concerned that are destined for placing on the market in the Community are landed directly in that third country, — the competent authority of that third country has inspected the vessel and has declared that it complies with Community requirements, — and — the competent authority of that third country has declared that it will regularly inspect the vessel to ensure that it continues to comply with Community requirements; or (ii) on the of a joint communication from the competent authority of the third country the flag of which the vessel is flying and from the competent authority of a Member
authority and both must take all necessary measures and precautions to prevent the possible spread of the infectious agent in accordance with applicable Union legislation. CHAPTER II: DECISIONS CONCERNING FOOD CHAIN INFORMATION 1. The official veterinarian is to verify that animals are not slaughtered unless the slaughterhouse operator has been provided with and checked relevant food information. 2. However, the official veterinarian may animals to undergo slaughter in the slaughterhouse even if the relevant food chain information is not available. In this case, all relevant food chain information must be supplied before the carcase is approved for human consumption. Pending a final judgement, such carcases and related offal must be stored separately from other meat. 3. Notwithstanding paragraph 2, when relevant food chain information is not available within 24 hours of an animal's arrival at the slaughterhouse, all meat from the animal is to be declared unfit for human consumption. If the animal has not yet been slaughtered, it is to be killed separately from other animals. 4. When the accompanying records, documentation or information shows that: (a) animals come from a holding or an area subject to a movement prohibition or other restriction for reasons of animal or public health; (b) rules on the use of veterinary medicinal products have not been complied with; or (c) any condition which might adversely affect human or animal health is present, animals may not be accepted for slaughter other than in accordance with procedures laid down under Community legislation to eliminate human or animal health risks. If the animals are already present at the slaughterhouse, they must be killed separately and declared for human consumption, taking precautions to safeguard animal and public health where appropriate. Whenever the official veterinarian considers it necessary, official controls are to be carried out on the holding of provenance. 5. The competent authority is to take appropriate action if it discovers that the accompanying records, documentation or other information do not correspond with the true situation on the holding of provenance or the true condition of the animals or aim deliberately to mislead the official veterinarian. The competent authority is to take action against the food business operator responsible for the holding of provenance of the animals, or any other person involved. This action may consist in particular of extra controls. The food business operator responsible for the holding
3. When ante-mortem inspection takes place no more than three days before the arrival of the animals at the slaughterhouse, and animals are delivered to the slaughterhouse live, ante-mortem inspection at the slaughterhouse need only cover: (a) a control of the animals' identification; and (b) a screening to ascertain whether animal welfare have been complied with and whether signs of any condition which might adversely affect human or animal health are present. 4. A certificate conforming to the specimen in Chapter X, Part A, is to accompany live animals inspected at the holding. A certificate conforming to the specimen in Chapter X, Part B, is to accompany animals inspected and slaughtered at the holding. A certificate conforming to the specimen in Chapter X, Part C, is to accompany animals inspected and slaughtered at the holding in accordance with point 3a of Section III of Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004. 5. When the competent authority authorises that the food business operator may attest the correct slaughter and bleeding of animals, the official veterinarian or approved veterinarian carry out regular checks on the performance of the person carrying out the slaughter and bleeding. B. Post-mortem inspection 1. This inspection is to include palpation and, where judged necessary, incision of those parts of the animal which have undergone any change or are suspect for any other reason. 2. Post-mortem inspection procedures described for bovine and ovine animals, domestic swine and poultry are to be applied to the corresponding species of farmed game. 3. When the animals have been slaughtered at the holding, the official veterinarian at the slaughterhouse is to the certificate accompanying them. CHAPTER VIII: WILD GAME A. Post-mortem inspection 1. Wild game is to be inspected as soon as possible after admission to the game handling establishment.
3. The original version of the certificate must accompany consignments on entry into the Community. 4. Certificates must consist of: (a) a single sheet of paper; or (b) two or more pages that are part of an integrated and indivisible sheet of paper; or (c) a sequence of pages numbered so as to indicate that it is a particular page in a finite sequence (for example, ‘page 2 of four pages’). 5. Certificates must bear a unique identifying number. Where the certificate consists of a sequence of pages, each page must indicate this number. 6. The certificate must be issued before the consignment to which it relates leaves the control of the competent authority of the third country of dispatch. () OJ C 262 E, 29.10.2002, p. 449. () OJ C 95, 23.4.2003, p. 22. () Opinion of the European Parliament of 5 June 2003 (not yet published in the Official Journal), Council Common Position of 27 October 2003 (OJ C 48 E, 24.2.2004, p. 82), Position of the European Parliament of 30 March 2004 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and Council Decision of 16 April 2004. () Page 3 of this Official Journal. () Page 22 of this Official Journal. () OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23. () OJ L 165, 30.4.2004, p. 1. () OJ L 31, 1.2.2002, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1642/2003 (OJ L 245, 29.9.2003, p. 4).