Article 26U.K.Stricter national rules
1.This Regulation shall not prevent Member States from maintaining any national rules aimed at ensuring more extensive protection of animals at the time of killing in force at the time of entry into force of this Regulation.
Before 1 January 2013, Member States shall inform the Commission about such national rules. The Commission shall bring them to the attention of the other Member States.
2.Member States may adopt national rules aimed at ensuring more extensive protection of animals at the time of killing than those contained in this Regulation in relation to the following fields:
(a)the killing and related operations of animals outside of a slaughterhouse;
(b)the slaughtering and related operations of farmed game as defined in point 1.6 of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, including reindeer;
(c)the slaughtering and related operations of animals in accordance with Article 4(4).
Member States shall notify the Commission of any such national rules. The Commission shall bring them to the attention of the other Member States.
3.Where, on the basis of new scientific evidence, a Member State deems it necessary to take measures aimed at ensuring more extensive protection of animals at the time of killing in relation to the methods of stunning referred to in Annex I, it shall notify the Commission of the envisaged measures. The Commission shall bring them to the attention of the other Member States.
The Commission shall put the matter before the Committee referred to in Article 25(1) within 1 month of the notification and shall, on the basis of an opinion of EFSA and in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 25(2), approve or reject the national measures involved.
Where the Commission deems it appropriate, it may, on the basis of the approved national measures, propose amendments to Annex I in accordance with Article 4(2).
4.A Member State shall not prohibit or impede the putting into circulation within its territory of products of animal origin derived from animals that have been killed in another Member State on the grounds that the animals concerned have not been killed in accordance with its national rules aimed at a more extensive protection of animals at the time of killing.