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ANNEX IIIU.K.BEEF

PART IU.K.Eligibility criteria for beef

1.The products listed in Part V of this Annex and falling within the following categories defined in point II of Annex V(A) to Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 may be bought in:U.K.

(a)

[F1meat of uncastrated male animals aged from 12 months to less than 24 months (category A);

(b)

meat of castrated male animals aged from 12 months (category C);

(c)

meat of male animals aged from 8 months to less than 12 months (category Z).]

Textual Amendments

2.Carcases and half-carcases may be bought in only where they:U.K.

(a)

have obtained the health mark referred to in Chapter III of Section I of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council(1);

(b)

have no characteristics rendering the products derived from them unfit for storage or subsequent use;

(c)

do not come from animals slaughtered as a result of emergency measures;

(d)

originate in the Community within the meaning of Article 39 of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2454/93(2);

(e)

are derived from animals raised in accordance with the prevailing veterinary requirements;

(f)

do not exceed the maximum radioactivity levels permitted under Community Regulations.;

(g)

come from carcases weighing not more than 340 kg.

The control of radioactivity level is performed only if the situation so requires and for a limited period.

3.Carcases and half-carcases may be bought in only where they are:U.K.

(a)

[X1presented, where appropriate after cutting into quarters at the expense of the party concerned, in accordance with Part VI of this Annex.] In particular, parts of the carcase must be inspected to assess compliance with the requirements of point 2 of that part. The failure to comply with any of those requirements shall result in rejection; where a quarter is rejected for failure to comply with such conditions of presentation and in particular where unsatisfactory presentation cannot be improved during the acceptance procedure, the other quarter of the same half-carcase shall also be rejected;

(b)

classified in accordance with the Community scale provided for in Article 42(1)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007. The intervention agencies shall reject any products which they do not deem to be classified in conformity with that scale after conducting a detailed inspection of all parts of the carcase;

(c)

identified, first, by markings indicating the category, the conformation class and the degree of fat cover and, secondly, by an identification or slaughter number. Markings indicating the category, conformation class and fat cover must be perfectly legible and shall be stamped using non-toxic, fast, indelible ink in accordance with a procedure approved by the competent national authorities. The letters and figures must be at least 2 cm high. The markings shall be applied to the striploin at the level of the fourth lumbar vertebra on hindquarters and approximately 10 to 30 cm from the cut edge of the sternum on forequarters. The identification or slaughter number shall be marked in the middle of the inner side of each quarter using a stamp or indelible marker authorised by the intervention agency;

(d)

labelled in accordance with the system introduced by Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council(3).

Editorial Information