Meat of swine, fresh, chilled or frozen (HS code(s): 0203); Prepared or preserved meat, meat offal, blood or insects (excl. sausages and similar products, and meat extracts and juices) (HS code(s): 1602)

Third Amendment Act amending the Animal Husbandry Labelling Act ('Drittes Änderungsgesetz zur Änderung des Tierhaltungskennzeichnungsgesetzes'); (54 page(s), in German)

The Third Amendment Act amending the Animal Husbandry Labelling Act will reform the current German animal husbandry labelling legislation drastically. On one hand, it will provide greater flexibility and simplification for the industry and therefore reduce administrative costs. On the other hand, the animal husbandry labelling will be expanded to meals which include pork and which are not prepared by the consumers themselves at home but available for purchase at restaurants and other catering facilities. Furthermore, this act will remove the current voluntary nature of participation in the German animal husbandry labelling scheme. Therefore, non-German market participants will have to participate in the labelling scheme if they wish to place their pork products on the German market.

Simplifications:

German pig farmers who only implement the (lowest) animal husbandry category 'Stall' will be exempt from the obligation to notify the competent authority. The lowest category 'Stall' stands for the minimum animal welfare requirements, which are applicable in Germany due to the animal welfare legislation and which German pig farmers have to comply with by default. This amendment will reduce unnecessary bureaucracy both for the industry as well as for the administration.

In addition, the food industry will be enabled to use the procedure 'downgrading'. 'Downgrading' describes a procedure where pork can be labelled with a lower animal husbandry category (and therefore with lower animal welfare standards) than it was actually produced at. This provision will enable the food industry to decide independently which type of animal husbandry category will be labelled on a specific batch of pork. The aim of this practice-oriented provision is to enable the industry to have greater flexibility regarding fast changing market demands and supplies. At the same time, the consumer will be provided with information regarding how the pigs have (at the very least) been kept.

Non-German market participants:

The act includes a mandatory requirement to label pork which is not produced in Germany but is placed on the German market. This will remove the current voluntary nature of the animal husbandry labelling scheme for these participants.

Expansion of the scope to piglets and sows

In addition, in the animal husbandry categories "Stall+Platz", "Frischluft" and "Auslauf/Weide", the amendment includes a requirement that the pigs (as well as their parents) are kept and treated according to the German legal animal welfare requirements across their entire lifespan (i.e. from the piglet stage). This refers, among other things, to the German requirements regarding non-curative procedures and to the restrictions regarding keeping sows in crates in the service area and farrowing area.

If pork originates from pigs, which at any stage as piglets (or their mother sows) have not been kept according to German legal animal welfare requirements, these must be labelled with the lowest animal husbandry category 'Stall' regardless how the pigs were kept in the fattening phase.

Meals which are not prepared at home:

The obligation to label pork with the animal husbandry labelling will be expanded to pork-based meals and products which are prepared in restaurants, canteens, food stalls, butcher shops or other catering facilities.