Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

SECTION III: FOOD CHAIN INFORMATION U.K.

Food business operators operating slaughterhouses must, as appropriate, request, receive, check and act upon food chain information as set out in this Section in respect of all animals, other than wild game, sent or intended to be sent to the slaughterhouse.

1. Slaughterhouse operators must not accept animals onto the slaughterhouse premises unless they have requested and been provided with relevant food safety information contained in the records kept at the holding of provenance in accordance with Regulation (EC) No.../2004(1). U.K.

2. Slaughterhouse operators must be provided with the information no less than 24 hours before the arrival of animals at the slaughterhouse, except in the circumstances mentioned in point 7. U.K.

3. The relevant food safety information referred to in point 1 is to cover, in particular: U.K.

(a)

the status of the holding of provenance or the regional animal health status;

(b)

the animals' health status;

(c)

veterinary medicinal products or other treatments administered to the animals within a relevant period and with a withdrawal period greater than zero, together with their dates of administration and withdrawal periods;

(d)

the occurrence of diseases that may affect the safety of meat;

(e)

the results, if they are relevant to the protection of public health, of any analysis carried out on samples taken from the animals or other samples taken to diagnose diseases that may affect the safety of meat, including samples taken in the framework of the monitoring and control of zoonoses and residues;

(f)

relevant reports about previous ante- and post-mortem inspections of animals from the same holding of provenance including, in particular, reports from the official veterinarian;

(g)

production data, when this might indicate the presence of disease; and

(h)

the name and address of the private veterinarian normally attending the holding of provenance.

4.

(a)

However, it is not necessary for the slaughterhouse operator to be provided with:

(i)

the information referred to in point 3(a), (b), (f) and (h), if the operator is already aware of this information (for example, through a standing arrangement or a quality assurance scheme); or

(ii)

the information referred to in point 3(a), (b), (f) and (g), if the producer declares that there is no relevant information to report.

(b)

The information need not be provided as a verbatim extract from the records of the holding of provenance. It may be provided through electronic data exchange or in the form of a standardised declaration signed by the producer.

5. Food business operators deciding to accept animals onto the slaughterhouse premises after evaluating the relevant food chain information must make it available to the official veterinarian without delay and, except in the circumstances mentioned in point 7, no less than 24 hours before the arrival of the animal or lot. The food business operator must notify the official veterinarian of any information that gives rise to health concerns before ante-mortem inspection of the animal concerned. U.K.

6. If any animal arrives at the slaughterhouse without food chain information, the operator must immediately notify the official veterinarian. Slaughter of the animal may not take place until the official veterinarian so permits. U.K.

7. If the competent authority so permits, food chain information may accompany the animals to which it relates to the slaughterhouse, rather than arriving at least 24 hours in advance, in the case of: U.K.

(a)

porcine animals, poultry or farmed game that have undergone ante-mortem inspection at the holding of provenance, if a certificate that the veterinarian has signed stating that he or she examined the animals at the holding and found them to be healthy accompanies them;

(b)

domestic solipeds;

(c)

animals that have undergone emergency slaughter, if a declaration, that the veterinarian has signed recording the favourable outcome of the ante-mortem inspection accompanies them; and

(d)

animals that are not delivered directly from the holding of provenance to the slaughterhouse.

Slaughterhouse operators must evaluate the relevant information. If they accept the animals for slaughter, they must give the documents mentioned in subparagraphs (a) and (c) to the official veterinarian. Slaughter or dressing of the animals may not take place until the official veterinarian so permits.

8. Food business operators must check passports accompanying domestic solipeds to ensure that the animal is intended for slaughter for human consumption. If they accept the animal for slaughter, they must give the passport to the official veterinarian." U.K.

(1)

Official Oublications Office is to insert the official number of Regulation on the hygiene of foodstuffs.