The Specified Risk Material Amendment (Scotland) Order 2001

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order, which extends to Scotland only, makes further amendments to the Specified Risk Material Order 1997 (“the principal Order”) to implement the provisions of Annex XI to 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 (O.J. No. L 147, 31.5.01, p.1). Annex XI imposed transitional measures with regard to the removal of specified risk material and was inserted into Regulation (EC) No. 999/2001 by Article 3 of Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1326/2001 (O.J. No. L 177, 30.6.01, p.60).

In article 2 of the principal Order, a definition of vertebral column is added at the end of paragraph (1) and a new paragraph (5) is added (article 2(2) and (3)).

Article 3 of the principal Order (which defines “specified sheep or goat material”) is amended to exclude from the scope of the definition material derived from sheep and goats born, continuously reared and slaughtered in certain third countries (article 2(4) and (5)).

Article 4 of the principal Order (which defines “specified bovine material”) is substituted by a new article so that, in particular, material derived from bovine animals born, continuously reared and slaughtered in certain third countries is now outside the scope of the definition (article 2(6)).

Article 6 of the principal Order (which regulates the “import of specified risk material”) is amended to impose new requirements for the import of carcases of bovine animals containing vertebral column which are specified risk material; and a new form of importation certificate is substituted in Schedule 2 to the principal Order (article 2(7) and (8)).

A Regulatory Impact Assessment, which includes a compliance cost assessment of the effect that this Order is likely to have on business costs, has been prepared and placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. Copies may be obtained from the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department, 47 Robb’s Loan, Edinburgh EH14 1TY.