X1CHAPTER IVFINAL PROVISIONS

Article 17Amendment and adaptation of the Annexes

F11.

Annexes I, II, III, IV, V and VI may be amended or supplemented by the Commission to take account of scientific and technical progress. Those measures, designed to amend non-essential elements of this Regulation, inter alia , by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 19(3).

2.

Exemptions from Annexes I, II, III, IV, V and VI may be granted by the Commission, provided that they do not affect the achievement of the objectives of this Regulation. Those measures, designed to amend non-essential elements of this Regulation by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 19(3).

3.

Member States may, without compromising achievement of the objectives of this Regulation, adopt, in accordance with paragraphs 4 to 7, national measures adapting the requirements laid down in Annex I.

4.

The national measures referred to in paragraph 3 shall:

(a)

have the aim of:

  1. (i)

    enabling the continued use of traditional methods at any of the stages of production, processing or distribution of food;

  2. (ii)

    accommodating the needs of food businesses with a low throughput or that are situated in regions that are subject to special geographic constraints;

    or

  3. (iii)

    permitting pilot projects to take place in order to try out new approaches to hygiene controls on meat;

(b)

concern in particular the following elements of Annex I:

  1. (i)

    food chain information;

  2. (ii)

    the presence of the competent authority in establishments.

5.

Any Member State wishing to adopt national measures as referred to in paragraph 3 shall notify the Commission and other Member States. Each notification shall:

(a)

provide a detailed description of the requirements that that Member State considers need to be adapted and the nature of the adaptation sought;

(b)

describe the establishments concerned;

(c)

explain the reasons for the adaptation, including, where relevant, by providing a summary of the hazard analysis carried out and any measures to be taken to ensure that the adaptation will not compromise the objectives of this Regulation;

and

(d)

give any other relevant information.

6.

The other Member States shall have three months from the receipt of a notification referred to in paragraph 5 to send written comments to the Commission. The Commission may, and when it receives written comments from one or more Member States shall, consult Member States within the committee referred to in Article 19(1). The Commission may decide, in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 19(2), whether the envisaged measures may be implemented subject, if necessary, to appropriate amendments. Where appropriate, the Commission may propose general measures in accordance with paragraphs 1 or 2 of this Article.

7.

A Member State may adopt national measures adapting the requirements of Annex I only:

(a)

in compliance with a decision adopted in accordance with paragraph 6;

(b)

if, one month after the expiry of the period referred to in paragraph 6, the Commission has not informed Member States that it has received written comments or that it intends to propose the adoption of a decision in accordance with paragraph 6.

8.

When a Member State adopts national measures implementing a pilot project to try out new approaches to hygiene controls on meat in accordance with paragraphs 3 to 7, the Member State shall communicate the results to the Commission as soon as they are available. The Commission shall then consider proposing general measures in accordance with paragraph 1.