Table of Contents:
Animal health rules governing the production, processing, distribution and introduction of products of animal origin for human consumption
Outline of the Community (European Union) legislation about Animal health rules governing the production, processing, distribution and introduction of products of animal origin for human consumption
Topics
These categories group together and put in context the legislative and non-legislative initiatives which deal with the same topic.
Food safety > Veterinary checks animal health rules food hygiene
Animal health rules governing the production, processing, distribution and introduction of products of animal origin for human consumption
Document or Iniciative
Council Directive 2002/99/EC of 12 December 2002 laying down the animal health rules governing the production, processing, distribution and introduction of products of animal origin for human consumption.
Summary
This Directive harmonises and strengthens veterinary public health requirements scattered throughout the legislation. It makes for stricter application of animal health rules and a broader scope.
The Directive thus covers all production stages of a product of animal origin: primary production, processing, transport, storage and sale. It also applies to live animals intended for human consumption. It lays down animal health conditions applicable to all these stages.
General animal health requirements
The Directive makes the Member States responsible for measures needed to eradicate the transmission of animal diseases and lays down the conditions to be met for products of animal origin, banning those from areas or territories subject to animal health restrictions. In the latter case, the Directive stipulates the conditions for possible derogations.
Veterinary certificates and checks
The Directive specifies when Member States must require veterinary certificates, together with detailed rules for their application.
However, pending the adoption of the whole “hygiene package”, the Member States are responsible for official veterinary controls and measures applicable where infringements of the animal health rules are found.
Imports from non-EU countries
The competent authorities of the Member States must take the necessary measures to ensure that imported products of animal origin comply with the requirements applicable to Community products.
The Directive makes provision for the creation and updating of lists of non-EU countries or regions of non-EU countries from which imports are authorised. It lays down the conditions a country needs to meet to be included in these lists. Among other requirements, the Directive requires non-EU countries and regions to undergo a compulsory Community audit and obtain a veterinary certificate in accordance with the specific procedure set out in the Directive.
The Community inspections and/or audits can be carried out throughout the food chain in the non-EU countries included in the lists.
Revision clause
The Directive contains a revision clause with a view to amending the Annexes, where the following are specified: animal diseases covered (Annex I), description of the compulsory elements, which should include special identification markings for meat from a territory subject to animal health restrictions (Annex II), and general principles of certification (Annex IV).
Background
In January 2000, the Commission presented a complete recast of legislation dealing with food hygiene and veterinary aspects “hygiene package”. This reorganisation comprises five acts on the following subjects:
- food hygiene;
- specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin;
- official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption,
- animal health rules governing the production, placing on the market and import of products of animal origin for human consumption (the subject of this factsheet);
- official food and feed controls.
References
| Act | Entry into force | Deadline for transposition in the Member States | Official Journal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Directive 2002/99/EC | 01.01.2005 | 31.12.2004 | OJ L 18 of 23.01.2003 |