The Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

1.  These Regulations amend the Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (S.R. 2006 No.202, as amended by S.R. 2007. No 339), which provide for the enforcement of Regulation (EC) No. 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (OJ No. L147, 31.5.2001, p.1) as amended by and as read with the Community instruments set out in Schedule 1 to S.R. 2006 No.202.

2.  The principal amendment is that a revised Schedule 6 is inserted into S.R. 2006 No.202 (regulation 2(4)).

3.  Schedule 6 to S.R. 2006 No.202 currently provides for the enforcement of the revised text of Annex V to Regulation (EC) No. 999/2001 that was inserted into that Regulation by Commission Regulation (EC) No. 722/2007 (OJ No. L164, 26.6.2007, p.7).

4.  Commission Regulation (EC) No. 357/2008 (OJ No. L111, 23.4.2008, p.3) has amended that revised text by substituting for the provision designating vertebral column of bovine animals aged over 24 months at slaughter as specified risk material a provision designating vertebral column of bovine animals aged over 30 months at slaughter as specified risk material.

5.  The revised Schedule 6 inserted into S.R. 2006 No.202 by these Regulations provides for the enforcement of Annex V to Regulation (EC) No. 999/2001 as now amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No. 357/2008. Paragraph 20 of Schedule 6 provides for transitional arrangements in relation to the consignment of meat derived from bovine animals slaughtered before the coming into operation of these Regulations and aged 30 months or less at slaughter to butcher shops and cutting plants.

6.  These Regulations also—

(a) make consequential amendment to paragraph (1) of regulation 2 (interpretation) of S.R. 2006 No.202 in the light of the amendment to the revised text of Annex V to Regulation (EC) No. 999/2001 referred to above and the revised Schedule 6 to S.R. 2006 No. 202 (regulation 2(2));

(b) update the wording of regulation 5(e) of S.R. 2006 No. 202 to reflect the title of the revised Schedule 6 (regulation 2(3));

(c) update the wording of paragraph 2 of Schedule 7 to S.R. 2006 No.202 to provide for the enforcement of point 10.3 of Annex V to Regulation (EC) No. 999/2001 (prohibition on export outside the Community of heads and fresh meat of bovines, ovines and caprines containing specified risk material) (regulation 2(5)); and

(d) revoke the Beef Bones Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997 (S.R. 1997 No.540) and the Beef Bones (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 (S.R. 1999 No.495) (regulation 3).