The Beef Carcase (Classification) (Amendment) Regulations 1998

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

1.  These Regulations make a number of amendments to the Beef Carcase (Classification) Regulations 1991 (S.I. 1991/2242, as already amended by S.I. 1994/2853).

2.  S.I. 1992/2242 as amended extends to Great Britain only. It provides for the administration and enforcement of the Community system for the classification of beef carcases, as required by Article 3 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1186/90 (OJ No. L119, 11.5.90, p.32). That Community system requires the classification of carcases and half-carcases in accordance with the Community scale defined by Article 3 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1208/81 (OJ No. L123, 7.5.81, p.3), as amended, and by Commission Regulation (EEC) No. 2930/81 (OJ No. L293, 13.10.81, p.6), as amended. That Community scale is in turn the basis for recording market prices in the beef and veal sector (Article 1 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1892/87 (OJ No. L182, 3.7.87, p.29)).

3.  The amendments to S.I. 1991/2242 are as follows—

(a) certain definitions contained in paragraph (1) of regulation 2 (interpretation) are revised in the light of the enactment of the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 (S.I. 1995/539, as amended);

(b) consequential amendments are made to Schedules 2 and 5 in the light of those revisions;

(c) a provision is inserted (new regulation 2(4)) relating to the recital of references to Community instruments; and

(d) a reference to Article 2(1)(a) of Commission Regulation (EC) No. 295/96 (OJ No. L39, 17.2.96, p.1) (requiring the operators of certain slaughterhouses to record market prices) is inserted into Schedule 1, thereby making it a “Community provision” as defined by paragraph (1) of regulation 2 (a failure to comply with which is an offence under regulation 14(2)(a) of S.I. 1991/2242). Commission Regulation (EC) No. 295/96 was adopted under Article 2 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1892/87.

4.  A regulatory appraisal has been prepared and a copy of it has been placed in the Library of each House of Parliament.