Derogations for the direct transport of poultry for immediate slaughter and the movement or treatment of poultry meat
Article 18
1
By way of derogation from Article 17, the competent authority may authorise the direct transport of poultry originating from a holding in the protection zone for immediate slaughter to a designated slaughterhouse subject to the following conditions:
a
a clinical examination of the poultry on the holding of origin is carried out by the official veterinarian within 24 hours of being sent for slaughter;
b
where appropriate, laboratory tests have been carried out on poultry on the holding of origin in accordance with instructions given by the official veterinarian with favourable results;
c
the poultry are transported in vehicles sealed by the competent authority or under its supervision;
d
the competent authority responsible for the designated slaughterhouse is informed and agrees to receive the poultry and then confirms the slaughter to the competent authority of dispatch;
e
the poultry from the protection zone are kept separately from other poultry and are slaughtered separately or at different times from other poultry, preferably at the end of a working day; subsequent cleansing and disinfection shall be completed before other poultry are slaughtered;
f
the official veterinarian shall ensure that a detailed examination of the poultry is carried out at the designated slaughterhouse when the poultry arrive and after they are slaughtered;
g
the meat does not enter into intra-Community or international trade and bears the health mark for fresh meat provided for in Annex II to Council Directive 2002/99/EC ;
h
the meat is obtained, cut, transported and stored separately from meat intended for intra-Community and international trade and is used in such a way as to avoid it being introduced into meat products intended for intra-Community or international trade, unless it has undergone a treatment set out in Annex III to Directive 2002/99/EC.
2
By way of derogation from Article 17, the competent authority may authorise the direct transport of poultry from outside the protection zone for immediate slaughter to a designated slaughterhouse within the protection zone and subsequent movement of the meat derived from such poultry providing that:
a
the competent authority responsible for the designated slaughterhouse is informed and agrees to receive the poultry and then confirms the slaughter to the competent authority of dispatch;
b
the poultry are kept separate from other poultry originating within the protection zone and are slaughtered separately or at different times from other poultry;
c
the poultry meat produced is cut, transported and stored separately from poultry meat obtained from other poultry originating in the protection zone;
d
the animal by-products are disposed of.
OJ L 18, 23.1.2003, p. 11.