ANNEX B KEY POINTS - SUMMARY OF QUESTIONS ON WHICH WE ARE SEEKING VIEWS
(A) Beef Sector
Scope
1.The Community scale applies to carcases of adult bovine animals. These animals are defined in Part IV(2) of Annex III to Regulation ( EC) No.1234/2007 as bovine animals with a live weight of more than 300 kilograms. Regulation 1249/2008, however, allows Member States the option of deciding whether the Community scale should apply to carcases of bovine animals aged on slaughter 12 months or more. In the UK it is proposed that adult bovines will be defined as in the EU Council legislation, namely, using the weight threshold of 300kg.
Question 1: Do you agree that adult bovines should be defined using the weight threshold of 300kg?
Derogation from the compulsory classification of carcases
2. Regulation 1249/2008 provides that the requirements on classification of carcases of adult bovine animals shall not be compulsory for approved establishments which slaughter not more than 75 adult bovine animals per week as an annual average (referred to as 'small-scale operators').
2.1 Subject to views received during the consultation exercise, the Scottish Government is proposing to make use of this derogation and exempt such small-scale operators from the requirement to classify bovine carcases. If, however, a small-scale bovine operator himself chooses to classify a bovine carcase, the Regulations will apply in relation to the classification of that carcase.
Question 2: Do you agree that the requirements on classification of carcases of adult bovine animals should not be compulsory for approved establishments which slaughter not more than 75 adult bovine animals per week as an annual average?
Labelling instead of marking
3. The EU legislation provides that Member States may authorise replacement of the marking of a carcase by the use of labels, provided that this is done in accordance with the requirements laid down in EU legislation. The Scottish Government is proposing to allow use of such a label.
Question 3: Do you agree that use of labels should be allowed as an alternative to marking of a carcase?
Record Keeping
4.. It is proposed that records relating to each bovine carcase will only need to be kept by operators of an approved slaughterhouse for six months from the end of the calendar year to which the record relates. This is a reduction in the current requirement of two years.
4.1 Small-scale operators will not be required to keep records under these Regulations unless they are applying the Community classification scales.
Question 5: Do you agree with the reduction in the period for the retention of records?
Question 6: Are you able to provide any information on the cost saving to you of the proposed reduced requirements for the retention of records or whether the proposal will allow you to keep your records in a different way?
On-the-spot checks
5. Commission Regulation ( EC) No.1249/2008 lays down new requirements for 'On-the-spot checks'. In particular, checks must be carried out at least twice every three months in all approved establishments which slaughter more than 75 adult bovine animals per week as an annual average. Each check must relate to at least 40 carcases, selected at random. In approved establishments which slaughter 75 adult bovine animals or less per week as an annual average, Member States can determine the frequency of the checks and the minimum number of carcases to be checked. Checks must also be made on approved establishments operating classification by using automated grading techniques in line with the EU legislation.
(B) Pigmeat Sector
Scope
6. The Community scale of pig carcases must be used by all slaughterhouses for grading all carcases of pigs other than those which have been used for breeding, subject to the derogations being considered below.
Derogations from the Community scale
6.1 Under Regulation 1249/2008 Member States may decide not to make the scale obligatory in slaughterhouses for which Member States set a maximum throughput, which may not exceed 200 pigs per week on a yearly average basis (referred to as 'small-scale operators').
6.2 Subject to views during the consultation exercise, the UK is proposing to implement this derogation for small-scale operator of a slaughterhouse at which not more than 200 clean pigs per week as an annual average are slaughtered.
Question 7: Do you agree that the Community scale should not be obligatory in slaughterhouses at which not more than 200 clean pigs per week as an annual average are slaughtered?
7. Views are also being sought on whether there is any need for use of the other derogation relating to slaughterhouses which slaughter only pigs born and fattened in their own breeding establishments and which cut up all the carcases obtained.
Question 8: Do you agree that there is no need for use in the UK of the derogation relating to slaughterhouses which slaughter only pigs born and fattened in their own breeding establishments and which cut up all the carcases obtained?
Records instead of marking
8. It is proposed to implement the derogation provided under EU legislation whereby operators (except where a pig carcase is to be marketed uncut in another Member State), may, instead of marking a pig carcase:
(a) identify a pig carcase, and
(b) complete the appropriate record in relation to that carcase. These records must be kept for 6 months.
Question 9: Please can you indicate whether you support the implementation of the derogation laying down that the pig carcase need not be marked (except where a pig carcase is marketed uncut in another Member State) provided it is identified and appropriate records are kept.
Record keeping
9. Records must now be kept for six months from the end of the calendar year to which the record relates. Small-scale operators are not required to keep records under these Regulations
Question 10: Do you have any view on this change for the retention of records?
Question 11: Are you able to provide any information on the cost saving to you of the proposed new requirements for the retention of records or whether the proposal will allow you to keep your records in a different way?