The Animals and Animal Products (Import and Export) (Scotland) Regulations 2000

Assembly centres and slaughterhouses

12.—(1) Any person operating an assembly centre for the purposes of intra-Community trade in cattle, pigs, sheep or goats shall do so in accordance with this regulation.

(2) The assembly centre shall be approved by the Scottish Ministers and given a number, and approval shall only be given if the Scottish Ministers are satisfied that the centre complies with the requirements of paragraphs (a) to (d) of Article 11.1 of Council Directive 64/432/EEC.

(3) In the case of cattle or pigs, the operator shall admit only animals that are identified and come from herds that are eligible for intra-Community trade.

(4) Where animals are consigned to an approved assembly centre, the operator of the assembly centre shall–

(a) ensure that no animal is admitted unless it complies with Article 3.1 of Council Directive 90/425/EEC; and

(b) record on a register–

(i) in the case of cattle and pigs, the name of the owner, the registration number of the transporter and the licence number of the lorry delivering or collecting animals from the centre;

(ii) in the case of cattle, the origin, date of entry and exit, number and identification number and the proposed destination as well as the information in paragraph 4(b)(i) above; and

(iii) in the case of pigs, the registration number of the holding of origin or of the herd of origin and the proposed destination as well as the information in paragraph 4(b)(i) above,

and shall preserve the register for a minimum of three years.

(5) Where animals are consigned to a slaughterhouse under the supervision of an official veterinary surgeon appointed under the provisions of regulation 8 of the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995(1) or regulation 8 of the Poultry Meat, Farmed Game Bird Meat and Rabbit Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995(2), the official veterinary surgeon shall ensure that no animal is slaughtered unless it complies with Article 3.1 of Council Directive 90/425/EEC.

(6) If, in carrying out inspections under the preceding paragraph, the official veterinary surgeon establishes that animals imported from another member State are accompanied by incorrect certification or cannot readily be identified, he shall forthwith notify a veterinary inspector authorised by the Scottish Ministers to receive such notification, who shall examine the animals and shall either–

(a) certify that they are fit to be slaughtered and used for their intended purpose; or

(b) by notice in writing served on the official veterinary surgeon require the animals to be slaughtered and destroyed or re-exported, in each case at the expense of the importer.

(7) Where paragraphs (4) and (5) above do not apply, any person who markets any animal consigned to him from another member State, or divides up batches of such animals for distribution or marketing–

(a) shall check, before the batch is divided up or marketed, that all the animals comply with the relevant provisions of the Directives or other measures listed in Part I of Schedule 3, with respect to identification marks and required consignment documentation;

(b) shall immediately notify any irregularity or anomaly to a veterinary inspector authorised by the Scottish Ministers to receive such notification; and

(c) if there is a breach of Article 3.1.d of Council Directive 90/425/EEC(3), shall isolate the animals in question until a veterinary inspector authorised by the Scottish Ministers to do so has authorised their release in writing.

(1)

S.I. 1995/539 to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.

(2)

S.I. 1995/540 to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.

(3)

O.J. No. L 224, 18.8.90, p.29, as read with the provisions listed in Schedule 1.