Products of Animal Origin (Third Country Imports) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004

Serious or repeated infringements

26.—(1) Where the Department, Agency or a district council reasonably concludes, on the basis of the results of veterinary checks, that products from a particular third country, part of a third country or establishment in a third country are implicated in serious or repeated infringements of any requirement laid down in a Community instrument relating to animal or public health, this regulation shall apply to those of the next ten consignments introduced into the United Kingdom from that third country, part of a third country or establishment, as the case may be, which are introduced into Northern Ireland.

(2) The official veterinary surgeon at the border inspection post at which any such consignment is introduced shall, by notice in writing served on the person responsible for the consignment, take charge of it and carry out a physical check thereon, including the taking of samples and laboratory tests and analyses.

(3) Upon service of a notice under paragraph (2) the person responsible for the consignment to which it relates shall lodge with the official veterinary surgeon who served the notice a deposit or guarantee sufficient to assure payment of all charges payable in accordance with Part X for veterinary checks carried out on the consignment, including any physical checks carried out in pursuance of paragraph (2).

(4) If any veterinary check carried out on the consignment reveals an infringement of any requirement laid down in a Community instrument relating to animal or public health, the official veterinary surgeon shall either redispatch or dispose of the consignment in accordance with regulation 21(2).