The Products of Animal Origin (Import and Export) Regulations 1992

Inspection and checking of imports

7.—(1) At a border inspection post, unless the products are transported by regular, direct means of transport linking two geographical points of the Community, an authorised officer of a local authority shall carry out documentary checks of all imported products of animal origin if he considers it necessary to establish the place of origin, and products of animal origin originating in a member State shall be dealt with in accordance with this Part of the Regulations.

(2) An authorised officer of the Minister or of a local authority shall have power to inspect at their place of destination, all products of animal origin imported into Great Britain from another member State, so as to ensure that all animal and public health conditions relating to imports are complied with, including any documentary require ments.

(3) An authorised officer of the Minister or of a local authority shall have power to inspect such products of animal origin at any time during transport to their place of destination if he has information leading him to suspect an infringement of these Regulations or any animal or public health condition relating to imports, including requirements relating to the means of transport.

(4) Any powers exercised under Regulation 22 below shall only be exercised in accordance with this Regulation in relation to imports from another member State until they reach their place of destination and at the place of destination.

(5) Where an establishment is supervised by an official veterinary surgeon, he shall ensure that all products of animal origin entering the establishment from another member State comply with all animal and public health import conditions relating to marking and accompanying documentation, and shall forthwith notify the appropriate Divisional Veterinary Officer of any irregularity or anomaly.

(6) Where an establishment is not supervised by an official veterinary surgeon, any person who markets any product of animal origin consigned to him from another member State, or divides up batches of such product for distribution or marketing, shall check, before the batch is divided up or marketed, that all products of animal origin comply with all animal and public health conditions relating to marking and accompanying documentation, and shall forthwith notify the appropriate Divisional Veterinary Officer of any irregularity or anomaly.

(7) In this Regulation “official veterinary surgeon” means a person designated as such by the Minister (or in Scotland and Wales, the Secretary of State) for the purposes of supervising the establishment in question.