CHAPTER IINTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS

Article 1Subject matter and scope

1

The purpose of this Regulation is to ensure that proper and effective measures are taken to detect and to control salmonella and other zoonotic agents at all relevant stages of production, processing and distribution, particularly at the level of primary production, including in feed, in order to reduce their prevalence and the risk they pose to public health.

2

This Regulation shall cover:

a

the adoption of targets for the reduction of the prevalence of specified zoonoses in animal populations:

  1. (i)

    at the level of primary production; and

  2. (ii)

    where appropriate for the zoonosis or zoonotic agent concerned, at other stages of the food chain, including in food and feed;

b

the approval of specific control programmes established by Member States and food and feed business operators;

c

the adoption of specific rules concerning certain control methods applied in the reduction of the prevalence of zoonoses and zoonotic agents;

d

the adoption of rules concerning intra-Community trade and imports from third countries of certain animals and products thereof.

3

This Regulation shall not apply to primary production:

a

for private domestic use; or

b

leading to the direct supply, by the producer, of small quantities of primary products to the final consumer or to local retail establishments directly supplying the primary products to the final consumer.

4

Member States shall establish, under national law, rules governing the activities referred to in paragraph 3(b). Such national rules shall ensure that the objectives of this Regulation are achieved.

5

This Regulation shall apply without prejudice to more specific Community provisions on animal health, animal nutrition, food hygiene, communicable human diseases, health and safety in the workplace, gene technology and transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.

Article 2Definitions

For the purposes of this Regulation the following definitions shall apply:

  1. 1.

    the definitions laid down in Regulation (EC) No 178/2002;

  2. 2.

    the definitions laid down in Directive 2003/99/EC; and

  3. 3.

    the following definitions:

    1. (a)

      ‘herd’ means an animal or group of animals kept on a holding as an epidemiological unit; and

    2. (b)

      ‘flock’ means all poultry of the same health status kept on the same premises or in the same enclosure and constituting a single epidemiological unit; in the case of housed poultry, this includes all birds sharing the same airspace.

Article 3Competent authorities

1

Each Member State shall designate a competent authority or competent authorities for the purpose of this Regulation and notify the Commission thereof. If a Member State designates more than one competent authority, it shall:

a

notify the Commission of the competent authority that will act as a contact point for contacts with the Commission; and

b

ensure that the competent authorities cooperate so as to guarantee the proper implementation of the requirements of this Regulation.

2

The competent authority or authorities shall be responsible in particular for:

a

drawing up the programmes provided for in Article 5(1) and preparing any amendments thereto which prove necessary, in particular in the light of data and results obtained;

b

collecting the data needed to evaluate the means used and the results obtained in carrying out the national control programmes provided for in Article 5 and for submitting those data and results yearly, including the results of any surveys undertaken, to the Commission, having regard to the rules laid down pursuant to Article 9(1) of Directive 2003/99/EC;

c

carrying out regular checks on the premises of food and, if needed, feed businesses for the purpose of checking compliance with this Regulation.