The Meat Products (Scotland) Regulations 2004

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the regulations)

These Regulations, which extend to Scotland only, revoke and replace the Meat Products and Spreadable Fish Products (Scotland) Regulations 1984 (S.I. 1984/1714, as amended). The Regulations were notified in draft to the European Commission in accordance with Directive 98/34/EC (O.J. No. L 204, 21.7.98, p.37), as amended by Directive 98/48/EC (O.J. No. L 217, 5.8.98, p.18).

These Regulations–

(a) define “meat” and “meat product” for the purposes of these Regulations and provide an exception for certain meat products (regulation 2 and Schedule 1);

(b) specify the scope of the Regulations (regulation 3);

(c) restrict the use of reserved descriptions to the meat products to which they relate (regulation 4 and Schedule 2);

(d) prescribe additional labelling requirements for certain meat products (regulation 5);

(e) subject to an exception, prohibit the sale of uncooked meat products which include as ingredients specified parts of the carcase of mammals (regulation 6);

(f) specify a penalty and enforcement authorities (regulation 7);

(g) include a transitional provision relating to offences under the Regulations committed before 4th August 2004 and a defence in relation to exports (regulation 8);

(h) subject to a modification, apply specified provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990 for the purposes of the Regulations (regulation 9);

(i) amend the Food Labelling Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/1499 as amended) by–

(i) inserting in regulation 2(1) a definition of “meat product”, and

(ii) inserting in regulation 23 a new paragraph 2(c) requiring that the meat content of certain meat products be quantified in the list of ingredients, and provide exceptions in a new Schedule 4A (regulation 10 and Schedule 4); and

(j) provide an exemption from labelling requirements for prescribed additional ingredients (Schedule 3).

These Regulations differ from the previous Regulations by–

(a) bringing the meat component of meat products into line with Commission Directive 2001/101/EC (O.J. No. L 310, 28.11.01, p.19) amending Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs; and

(b) introducing a new provision requiring the declaration in the name of the food of the presence of any animal proteins which are different from the species of the meat ingredient used and of added water above a specified unit.

A regulatory impact assessment has been prepared and placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. Copies may be obtained from the Food Standards Agency, 6th Floor, St Magnus House, 25 Guild Street, Aberdeen, AB11 6NJ.