Commission Regulation (EC) No 1215/2003 of 7 July 2003 amending Regulation (EEC) No 344/91 laying down detailed rules for applying Council Regulation (EEC) No 1186/90 to extend the scope of the Community scale for the classification of carcasses of adult bovine animals

• Published date: 08 July 2003
• Subject Matter: Beef and veal
• Official Gazette Publication: Official Journal of the European Union, L 169, 08 July 2003

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32003R1215

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1215/2003 of 7 July 2003 amending Regulation (EEC) No 344/91 laying down detailed rules for applying Council Regulation (EEC) No 1186/90 to extend the scope of the Community scale for the classification of carcasses of adult bovine animals

Official Journal L 169 , 08/07/2003 P. 0032 - 0036

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1215/2003

of 7 July 2003

amending Regulation (EEC) No 344/91 laying down detailed rules for applying Council Regulation (EEC) No 1186/90 to extend the scope of the Community scale for the classification of carcasses of adult bovine animals

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1186/90 of 7 May 1990 extending the scope of the Community scale for the classification of carcasses of adult bovine animals(1), as amended by the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden, and in particular Article 2 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Articles 1 and 3 of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 344/91(2), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1993/95(3), lay down detailed rules for carrying out, identifying and checking the classification of carcasses of adult bovines.

(2) With a view to authorising alternative methods to direct visual assessment of conformation and fat cover, automated grading techniques may be introduced when they are based on statistically proven methods. Authorisation of automatic grading techniques should be subject to compliance with certain conditions and requirements as well as with a maximum tolerance for statistical error in classification that should be specified.

(3) Establishments using automated grading techniques for the determination of the class of conformation and fat cover should ensure that the category of the carcass is identified in accordance with Article 3(1) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1208/81 of 28 April 1981 determining the Community scale for the classification of carcasses of adult bovine animals(4), as amended by Regulation (EEC) No 1026/91(5). For the identification of the category, the establishments concerned should make use of the system referred to in Title I of Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 July 2000 establishing a system for the identification and registration of bovine animals and regarding the labelling of beef and beef products(6).

(4) In case the automated grading techniques refuse to classify carcasses due to technical problems, some flexibility should be allowed to the extent that the classification and identification of the carcasses concerned should in those cases be carried out before the end of the daily slaughter operations.

(5) Provision should be made for the possibility to modify, after a licence was granted, the technical specifications of the automated grading techniques with a view to improving their accuracy. However, such modifications should require the prior approval of the competent authorities that should ascertain that these modifications result in a higher level of accuracy.

(6) It is necessary to provide for regular on-the-spot checks whereby the accuracy of the automated grading techniques is verified on certain specific aspects. The frequency of these checks should particularly be increased in the initial period of 12 months after a licence was granted.

(7) Regulation (EEC) No 344/91 should...