Approval of establishments for the slaughter of DBES eligible animals and ECHS animals
10.—(1) A person shall not use any premises for the slaughter of any ECHS animal from which ECHS goods are intended to be derived unless those premises are approved under paragraph (3) for the slaughter of such animals.
(2) A person shall not use any premises for the slaughter of any DBES eligible animal from which DBES goods are intended to be derived unless—
(a)those premises are an establishment approved under paragraph (3) for the slaughter of such animals; and
(b)the date referred to in Article 6(5) of the Council Decision has been set by the Commission of the European Communities and has passed.
(3) The Department shall approve an establishment for the purposes of paragraph (1) or for the purposes of paragraph (2) if, and only if, the establishment is licensed as a slaughterhouse under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997(1), and following an inspection of the establishment by a veterinary inspector, it is satisfied that—
(a)the only animals slaughtered on the premises are—
(i)in the case of an establishment approved for the purposes of paragraph (1), ECHS animals;
(ii)in the case of an establishment approved for the purposes of paragraph (2), DBES eligible animals; or
(iii)in the case of an establishment approved for both purposes, ECHS animals or DBES eligible animals;
(b)there is in operation at the establishment a system which ensures that, on presentation of each animal for slaughter an inspector is able—
(i)to inspect and identify the animal;
(ii)to obtain from the person presenting it positive evidence that it satisfies the relevant requirements of the Council Decision; and
(iii)to verify that evidence;
(c)any bovine product not eligible for despatch abroad has been removed from the establishment and—
(i)all parts of the premises, and equipment on the premises, used for the production, processing, treatment, handling, storage, loading or unloading of any bovine product not eligible for despatch abroad have been thoroughly cleaned after the last such use; and
(ii)procedures have been put in place to prevent entry on the premises of bovine products which are not eligible for despatch abroad;
(d)the methods of operation in respect of the slaughter of animals at the establishment comply with the requirements set out in column (1) of Schedule 1 and the Department has determined how those requirements are to apply to operations within the establishment as set out opposite thereto in columns (2) and (3); and
(e)in respect of the preparation at the establishment of DBES goods or ECHS goods of any type (whether or not from animals slaughtered at the establishment) which are intended for despatch from Northern Ireland to a member State or a third country—
(i)the establishment is approved as an export dedicated establishment under regulation 12(2)(a) for the preparation of goods of that type; and
(ii)the methods of operation in respect of those goods comply with the requirements set out in column (1) of Schedule 2 and the Department has determined how those requirements are to apply to operations within the establishment as set out opposite thereto in columns (2) and (3).
(4) An application for the approval of any establishment under paragraph (3) shall be made in such form and shall contain such particulars as the Department may require.
(5) Where, in relation to any establishment approved under paragraph (3)—
(a)any requirement in relation to the approval of the establishment has not been complied with;
(b)the operator has failed to give any notice that he was required to give or obtain any agreement that he was required to have under regulation 11(11); or
(c)DBES or ECHS animals, as the case may be, are no longer slaughtered there,
the Department may withdraw the approval and, where it does so shall give notice to the operator of the establishment of that withdrawal and the reasons for it.