14.6.2014   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 175/6

(1)

Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 lays down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin. It provides, inter alia, requirements for the production and placing on the market of meat from wild game. Food business operators are to ensure that such meat is placed on the market only if it is produced in compliance with Section IV of Annex III to that Regulation.

(2)

Council Directive 89/662/EEC (3), provides that Member States are to ensure that veterinary checks at origin and at destination are carried out on products of animal origin subject to intra-Union trade.

(3)

The audits performed at Union level by the Food and Veterinary Office of the European Commission in Member States have shown that trade in unskinned large wild game from a hunting site to an approved game-handling establishment situated in the territory of another Member State is a common practice which accounts for a significant part of the wild game meat produced in the Union.

(4)

This practice has created uncertainties on the practical application of the current provisions of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 and the need of compliance with the provisions of Directive 89/662/EEC in particular how to comply with the obligation to ensure the appropriate level of official controls at origin.

(5)

Therefore, in order to ensure that the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, and of Directive 89/662/EEC are complied with, it is necessary to supplement the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 concerning the transport and trade of unskinned large wild game with a certification of compliance with the EU provisions at the place of origin. In order to avoid a disproportionate administrative burden, an alternative approach based on a declaration of a trained person should be allowed if the game handling establishment, close to the hunting area is in another Member State.

(6)

Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(7)

Chapter VIII of Section IV of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 sets out the specific requirements for official controls concerning wild game meat. According to the provisions set out in that Chapter, during the post-mortem inspection, the official veterinarian of the game-handling establishment is to take account of the declaration or information that the trained person involved in hunting the animal has provided in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 853/2004. In cases where unskinned large wild game is transported from a hunting site in another Member State, it is appropriate that the official veterinarians also check that the relevant certificate accompanies the consignment and take into account the information contained in that certificate.

(8)

Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(9)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,