1.By way of derogation from Article 7, Member States shall authorise the transit by road or by rail through the Community, between designated Community border inspection posts listed in Annex to Decision 2001/881/EC, of consignments of meat products coming from and destined to Russia directly or via another third country provided that they comply with the following requirements:
(a)the consignment shall be sealed with a serially numbered seal by the official veterinarian of the competent authority at the border inspection post of introduction to the Community;
(b)the documents accompanying the consignment and referred to in Article 7 of Directive 97/78/EC shall be stamped ‘ONLY FOR TRANSIT TO RUSSIA VIA THE EC’ on each page by the official veterinarian of the competent authority of the border inspection post of introduction to the Community;
(c)the procedural requirements provided for in Article 11 of Directive 97/78/EC shall be complied with;
(d)the consignment shall be certified as acceptable for transit on the common veterinary entry document by the official veterinarian of the competent authority of the border inspection post of introduction to the Community.
2.Member States shall not authorise the unloading or storage, as defined in Article 12(4) or Article 13 of Directive 97/78/EC, in the Community of such consignments.
3.Member States shall ensure that the competent authority makes regular audits to ensure that the number of consignments and the quantities of products leaving the Community matches the number and quantities entering.