Post-mortem inspection of carcasses of animals slaughtered in a low-capacity slaughterhouse or handled in a low-capacity game-handling establishment

We wish to notify you of the Irish use of the derogation on the timing of post-mortem inspection in the context of Article 13 of Commission 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.
The evidence to support the use of the derogation in accordance with the procedure laid down in Directive (EU)2015/1535 of the European Parliament and of the Council is attached.

The requirements for post-mortem inspections are set out in Article 12 of Regulation (EU) 2019/627. Carcases and accompanying offals shall be subjected to post-mortem inspection (PMI) without delay after slaughter.

Article 13 of Regulation (EU) 2019/627 provides for a derogation by which the competent authorities may allow that, when neither the official veterinarian nor the official auxiliary are present in the game-handling establishment or slaughterhouse during slaughter and dressing, PMI is delayed by a maximum period of 24 hours from slaughter or arrival in the game-handling establishment, provided that:
(a) the animals concerned are slaughtered in a low-capacity slaughterhouse or handled in a low-capacity game-handling establishment that slaughters or handles:
(i) fewer than 1 000 livestock units per year; or
(ii) fewer than 150 000 poultry, lagomorphs and small wild game per year;
(b) sufficient facilities exist within an establishment to store the fresh meat and offal so that they can be examined;
(c) the post-mortem inspection is carried out by the official veterinarian.
The competent authorities may increase the thresholds laid down in (a) (i) and (ii) above in line with the requirements set out in paragraph 2 of Article 13 and shall notify this derogation and the evidence to support it in accordance with the procedure laid down in Directive (EU) 2015/1535 of the European Parliament and of the Council;