Meat inspection procedures: incisions, information, and health marks

Draft Commission Implementing Regulation amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 laying down uniform practical arrangements for the performance of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council

Update

The European Commission has informed the World Trade Organization Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (WTO SPS) Committee that it intends to amend the rules:

• on meat inspection – to limit post-mortem inspections using incisions and palpations to those relevant to the abnormalities found, to reduce the possibility of cross-contamination
• on food chain information – to extend the obligation to make available certain information to also include cases of emergency slaughter and slaughter on farm
• on health marks – to extend the requirements currently in place for slaughterhouses to include game-handling establishments.

Feedback to the WTO closed on 16 February 2025 (G/SPS/N/EU/803); feedback to the EU’s Have your say webpage closed on 5 February 2025.

Impacted Products

Meat

What is changing?

Regulation 2019/627 sets out the requirements for competent authorities performing official controls on animal products.

Incisions and palpations

Post-mortem inspection in slaughterhouses involves incisions and palpations if the veterinarian carrying out controls identifies a possible risk to human health, animal health, or animal welfare. Today, when abnormalities are found, all incisions and palpations must be carried out. As these incisions and palpations may pose a risk of cross-contamination with pathogens, the EU proposes to limit their use to those specifically relevant to the abnormalities found. These changes apply to inspection of:

• veal, Art. 18(3)
• beef, Art. 19(2)
• lamb, Art. 20(2)
• sheep and goats, Art. 21(2)
• horses, Art. 22(2)
• pork, Art. 23(2).

Food chain information

To improve the efficiency of controls, the EU has established a system of food chain information exchange between the farmer sending animals to slaughter, the slaughterhouse, and the veterinarian carrying out controls (Regulation 853/2004, Annex II, Section III). Animals cannot be slaughtered for human consumption if the compulsory information to be communicated is not available (Regulation 2019/627, Art. 40). The EU proposes to extend this food chain information to include cases of emergency slaughter and slaughter on farm.

Health marks

Regulation 2019/627 also sets requirements for health marks – the marks applied after official controls to indicate that meat is fit for human consumption. Currently, these requirements refer only to carcasses cut in the slaughterhouse. The Commission proposes to extend the requirements to also include game handling establishments (Art. 48(2)).

In zones that are under restrictions due to disease, the requirements regarding the form of the health mark may be replaced by those for special health marks put in place due to the disease in question (modification to clarify 2019/627, Art. 48(3)), in compliance with the Animal Health Law (Regulation 2016/429).

Timeline

The Regulation is expected to be adopted in March 2025.

What are the major implications for exporting countries?

Competent authorities of exporting countries are responsible for official controls of meat exported to the EU. They need to apply the risk-based approach, food chain information, and health marks (or identification marks) that are indicated in the certificates (see Regulation 2020/2235, Annex III, Ch. I–IV; also see EU official health certificates for exports to the EU – explained).

Recommended Actions

Feedback to the WTO closed on 16 February 2025 (G/SPS/N/EU/803); feedback to the EU’s Have your say webpage closed on 5 February 2025.

Background

The overall rules on compliance with food safety and animal health are laid down in the Official Controls Regulation 2017/625. This is complemented by Regulation 2019/627, which lays down specific requirements for official controls on animal products, including meat. The aim is to ensure that operators respect the requirements that must put in place, such as those in Regulation 853/2004.

Resources

Sources