Article 31Suspension of the status of equidae for slaughter for human consumption
1.By way of derogation from Article 29(2)(c) and Article 30, and except in the case described in Article 43(2), the competent authority may decide to suspend the status of an equine animal as intended for slaughter for human consumption for a period of 6 months where:
(a)the keeper can satisfactorily substantiate within 30 days of the declared date of loss of the identification document that the equine animal's status as intended for slaughter for human consumption has not been compromised by any medicinal treatment;
(b)the application for the identification is made in accordance with the second indent of Article 1(1) of Decision 96/78/EC during the first year of life but after the maximum permitted period referred to in Article 12(2) of this Regulation has expired.
2.In the case described in paragraph 1, the competent authority shall enter the date of commencement of the 6-month suspension period in the first column of Part III of Section II of the duplicate identification document, and complete the third column thereof.