Fresh Meat (Import Conditions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997

Fresh meat originating in a third country

11.—(1) A person shall not import fresh meat which originates in a third country unless—

(a) it is derived from animals which have remained for at least three months before being slaughtered, or since birth if they were less than three months old when slaughtered, in a third country on the third country list for which imports of fresh meat of the species concerned are indicated as “authorised” on that list;

(b) it has been obtained in accordance with the animal health requirements set down in—

(i) Articles 14(2) and (3) of the third countries Directive; and

(ii) the relevant animal health and certification Decision;

(c) in the case of half carcases, half carcases cut into no more than three cuts, quarters or offal—

(i) the requirements of Chapters VI to VIII, XIV and XV of Annex I to the fresh meat Directive are satisfied; and

(ii) it is derived from animals slaughtered in an establishment on a list in the relevant approved establishments Decision;

(d) in the case of cuts smaller than quarters, boned meat, or offal, or sliced livers of bovine animals,—

(i) the requirements of Chapters VI to X, XII, XIV and XV of Annex I to the fresh meat Directive are satisfied; and

(ii) it is derived from carcases cut up in an establishment on a list in the relevant approved establishments Decision;

(e) it bears a health mark applied in accordance with Chapter XI of Annex I to the fresh meat Directive which—

(i) complies with paragraph 50 of that Chapter; or

(ii) indicates, in clearly legible form—

(aa) the name of the country of origin in capitals, an abbreviation of its name or the International Organisation for Standardisation’s Code for the country as referred to in the third country list; and

(bb) the veterinary approval number of the establishment from which it has been consigned as assigned by the relevant approved establishments Decision;

(f) it is accompanied by—

(i) documentation in accordance with Article 3.1.A(f) of the fresh meat Directive; or

(ii) a public health certificate conforming to the model laid down in Annex A to the third countries Directive and an animal health certificate in accordance with the relevant animal health and certification Decision;

(g) it satisfies any special importation requirement; and

(h) in the case of fresh meat derived from swine or solipeds, it has been examined or treated for trichinae in accordance with Council Directive 77/96/EEC on the examination for Trichinae (Trichinelle spiralis) upon importation from third countries of fresh meat derived from domestic swine(1) as amended by the provisions listed in paragraph 3 of Schedule 5.

(2) A person shall not import fresh meat which originates in a third country—

(a) derived from boars or cryptorchid pigs;

(b) derived from animals to which hormonal substances prohibited under Directives 81/602/EEC(2) concerning the prohibition of certain substances having a hormonal action and of any substances having a thyrostatic action or 88/146/EEC(3) prohibiting the use in livestock farming of certain substances having have been administered;

(c) which has been treated with ionising or ultra-violet radiation;

(d) derived from animals to which tenderisers or other products likely to affect adversely the composition or organoleptic characteristics of the meat have been administered;

(e) to which, for the purpose of health marking, any colouring matter other than those referred to in paragraph 58 of Chapter XI of Annex I to the fresh meat Directive has been added;

(f) derived from animals which have been found—

(i) to have any form of tuberculosis;

(ii) to be carrying any cysticerci bovis or cysticerci cellulosae, whether live or dead; or

(iii) in the case of swine, to have trichinae;

(g) derived from animals slaughtered too young; or

(h) in pieces of less than 100 grams.

(3) A person shall not import from a third country any mechanically recovered meat, or any blood, bovine head or any muscular or other tissue of a bovine head other than the tongue.

(1)

O.J. No. L26, 31.1.77, p. 67

(2)

O.J. No. L222, 7.8.81, p. 32

(3)

O.J. No. L70, 16.3.88, p. 16