Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council (repealed)Show full title

B. OFFICIAL AUXILIARIES U.K.

1. The competent authority may appoint as official auxiliaries only persons who have undergone training and passed a test in accordance with the following requirements. U.K.

2. The competent authority must make arrangements for such tests. To be eligible for these tests, candidates must prove that they have received: U.K.

(a)

at least 500 hours of theoretical training and at least 400 hours of practical training, covering the areas specified in paragraph 5; and

(b)

such additional training as is required to enable official auxiliaries to undertake their duties competently.

3. The practical training referred to in paragraph 2(a) is to take place in slaughterhouses and cutting plants, under the supervision of an official veterinarian, and on holdings and in other relevant establishments. U.K.

4. Training and tests are to concern principally red meat or poultry meat. However, persons who undergo training for one of the two categories and passed the test, need only undergo abridged training to pass the test for the other category. Training and test should cover wild game, farmed game and lagomorphs, where appropriate. U.K.

5. Training for official auxiliaries is to cover, and tests are to confirm knowledge of, the following subjects: U.K.

(a)

in relation to holdings:

(i)

theoretical part:

• familiarity with the farming industry organisation, production methods, international trade etc.,

• good livestock husbandry practices,

• basic knowledge of diseases, in particular zoonoses-viruses, bacteria, parasites etc.,

• monitoring for disease, use of medicines and vaccines, residue testing,

• hygiene and health inspection,

• animal welfare on the farm and during transport,

• environmental requirements - in buildings, on farms and in general,

• relevant laws, regulations and administrative provisions,

• consumer concerns and quality control;

(ii)

practical part:

• visits to holdings of different types and using different rearing methods,

• visits to production establishments,

• observation of the loading and unloading of animals,

• laboratory demonstrations,

• veterinary checks,

• documentation;

(b)

in relation to slaughterhouses and cutting plants:

(i)

theoretical part:

• familiarity with the meat industry organisation, production methods, international trade and slaughter and cutting technology,

• basic knowledge of hygiene and good hygienic practices, and in particular industrial hygiene, slaughter, cutting and storage hygiene, hygiene of work,

• HACCP and the audit of HACCP-based procedures,

• animal welfare on unloading after transport and at the slaughterhouse,

• basic knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of slaughtered animals,

• basic knowledge of the pathology of slaughtered animals,

• basic knowledge of the pathological anatomy of slaughtered animals,

• relevant knowledge concerning TSEs and other important zoonoses and zoonotic agents,

• knowledge of methods and procedures for the slaughter, inspection, preparation, wrapping, packaging and transport of fresh meat,

• basic knowledge of microbiology,

• ante-mortem inspection,

• examination for trichinosis,

• post-mortem inspection,

• administrative tasks,

• knowledge of the relevant laws, regulations and administrative provisions,

• sampling procedure,

• fraud aspects;

(ii)

practical part:

• animal identification,

• age checks,

• inspection and assessment of slaughtered animals,

• post-mortem inspection in a slaughterhouse,

• examination for trichinosis,

• identification of animal species by examination of typical parts of the animal,

• identifying and commenting on parts of slaughtered animals in which changes have occurred,

• hygiene control, including the audit of the good hygiene practices and the HACCP-based procedures,

• recording the results of ante-mortem inspection,

• sampling,

• traceability of meat,

• documentation.

6. Official auxiliaries are to maintain up-to-date knowledge and to keep abreast of new developments through regular continuing education activities and professional literature. The official auxiliary is, wherever possible, to undertake annual continuing education activities. U.K.

7. Persons already appointed as official auxiliaries must have adequate knowledge of the subjects mentioned in paragraph 5. Where necessary, they are to acquire this knowledge through continuing education activities. The competent authority is to make adequate provision in this regard. U.K.

8. However, when official auxiliaries carry out only sampling and analysis in connection with examinations for trichinosis, the competent authority need only ensure that they receive training appropriate to these tasks. U.K.