Title, commencement, extent and cessation

1. —(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Import and Export Restrictions (Foot-and-Mouth Disease) (No. 4) Regulations 2001; they extend to England and Northern Ireland and come into force on 17th March 2001.

(2) These Regulations shall apply until midnight on 27th March 2001.

Interpretation

2. In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—

• “the Decision” means Commission DecisionDecisionDecisionDecision

• “export” means export outside the British Islands;

• “inspector” means a person appointed to be an inspector for the purposes of these Regulations by the Minister (in England), or the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (in Northern Ireland) or a local authority, and includes a veterinary inspector;

• “HACCP” means Hazard Analysis at Critical Control Points, which is a system in which the critical points of the manufacturing process have been identified, assessments have been made of the potential risks at those points, and necessary steps have been taken to minimise those risks;

• “local authority” means—

  (a)

  in any part of England where there is, within the meaning of the Local Government Changes for England Regulations 1994 , a unitary authority for that local government area, that authority;

  (b)

  in any part of England where there is not a unitary authority—

  (i)

  in a metropolitan district, the council of that district;

  (ii)

  in a non-metropolitan county, the council of that county;

  (iii)

  in each London borough (except in relation to imported animals) the council of that borough; or

  (iv)

  in the City of London, and for all London boroughs in relation to imported animals, the Common Council;

• “meat products” means meat products as defined in Article 2 of Council Directive meat products and certain other products of animal origin ;

• “Minister” means the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food;

• “milk” and “milk products” have the meaning given in Article 2 of Council Directive milk, heat-treated milk and milk-based products );

• “veterinary inspector” means a person appointed as a veterinary inspector by the Minister (in England), or the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (in Northern Ireland).

Import and export of live animals

3. —(1) No person shall export any live animal of the bovine, ovine, caprine or porcine species or any other biungulate.

(2) By way of derogation from the preceding paragraph, the Minister (in England) or the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (in Northern Ireland) may by licence in writing authorise the export of biungulate animals originating outside the United Kingdom if the animals travelled through the United Kingdom in direct and uninterrupted transit on main roads or by rail or sea.

(3) No person shall import any live animal of species susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease into England or Northern Ireland from another member State.

Export of fresh meat

4. —(1) No person shall export any fresh meat of animals of the bovine, ovine, caprine or porcine species or other biungulate.

(2) The prohibition in paragraph (1) shall not apply in relation to—

(a) fresh meat obtained before 1st February 2001, provided that the meat is clearly identified and since that date has been transported and stored separately from meat which is not destined for dispatch outside the United Kingdom; or

(b) fresh meat obtained from cutting plants situated in the United Kingdom under the following conditions—

(i) the only meat processed in the establishment is fresh meat described in sub-paragraph (a); fresh meat from animals reared outside the United Kingdom, transported directly and under official control in sealed means of transport to a slaughterhouse for immediate slaughter; or fresh meat from animals reared and slaughtered outside the United Kingdom;

(ii) all the meat must bear the health mark in accordance with Chapter XI of Annex I to Council Directive

(iii) the plant is operated under strict veterinary control; and

(iv) the meat is clearly identified and transported and stored separately from meat which is not destined for export.

(3) Meat consigned to another member State shall be accompanied by an official certificate prepared by the Minister (or in Northern Ireland the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) and signed by a person appointed as an officer of the kind specified in the certificate which bears the following words—

“ Meat conforming to Commission Decision 2001/172/EC of 1st March 2001 concerning certain protection measures with regard to foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom ” .

Export of meat products

5. —(1) No person shall exportmeat products of animals of the bovine, ovine, caprine or porcine species or any other biungulate coming from the United Kingdom.

(2) The prohibition in paragraph (1) shall not apply to meat products which have undergone one of the treatments laid down in Article 4(1) of Council Directive meat products ), or to meat products as defined in Council Directive

(3) The prohibition in paragraph (1) shall not apply to—

(a) meat products prepared before 1st February 2001, provided that the meat products are clearly identified and since that date have been transported and stored separately from meat products which are not destined for export; or

(b) meat products prepared in establishments under the following conditions—

(i) all fresh meat used in the establishment must conform to the conditions in regulation 4(2);

(ii) all meat products used in the final product must conform to the conditions in sub-paragraph (a) or be made from fresh meat obtained from animals reared and slaughtered outside the United Kingdom;

(iii) all meat products must bear the health mark in accordance with Chapter VII of Annex A to Directive

(iv) the establishment must be operated under strict veterinary control; and

(v) the meat products must be clearly identified and transported and stored separately from meat and other meat products which are not destined for export.

(4)Meat products consigned to another member State shall be accompanied by an official certificate prepared by the Minister (or in Northern Ireland the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) and signed by a person appointed as an officer of the kind specified in the certificate which bears the following words—

“ Meat products conforming to Commission Decision 2001/172/EC of 1st March 2001 concerning certain protection measures with regard to foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom ” .

(5) Paragraph (4) shall not apply to meat products which conform to the requirements of paragraph (2) if such compliance is stated in the commercial document accompanying the consignment, endorsed in accordance with regulation 12, and the products either—

(a) are consigned in hermetically sealed containers, or

(b) have been processed in an establishment operating HACCP and an auditable standard operating procedure which ensures that standards for treatment are met and recorded.

Export of milk

6. —(1) No person shall exportmilk.

(2) The prohibition in paragraph (1) shall not apply to milk which has been subjected to at least—

(a) an initial pasteurisation in accordance with the norms defined in paragraph 3(b) of Chapter 1 in Annex I to Council Directive

(b) an initial pasteurisation in accordance with the norms defined in paragraph 3(b) of Chapter 1 in Annex I to Council Directive

(3) The prohibition in paragraph (1) shall not apply in relation to milk prepared in establishments situated in the United Kingdom under the following conditions—

(a) all milk used in the establishment must either conform to the conditions of paragraph (2) or be obtained from animals outside the United Kingdom;

(b) the establishment must be operated under strict veterinary control;

(c) the milk must be clearly identified and transported and stored separately from milk and milk products which are not destined for export; and

(d) transport of raw milk from outside the United Kingdom to the establishment must be carried out in vehicles which were cleansed and disinfected prior to operation and had no subsequent contact with holdings in the United Kingdom keeping animals of species susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease.

(4)Milk consigned to another member State shall be accompanied by an official certificate prepared by the Minister (or in Northern Ireland the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) and signed by a person appointed as an officer of the kind specified in the certificate which bears the following words—

“ Milk conforming to Commission Decision 2001/172/EC of 1st March 2001 concerning certain protection measures with regard to foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom ” .

(5) Paragraph (4) shall not apply to milk which conform to the requirements of paragraph (2) if such compliance is stated in the commercial document accompanying the consignment, endorsed in accordance with regulation 12, and the milk either—

(a) is consigned in hermetically sealed containers, or

(b) has been processed in an establishment operating HACCP and an auditable standard operating procedure which ensures that standards for treatment are met and recorded.

Export of milk products

7. —(1) No person shall exportmilk products.

(2) The prohibition in paragraph (1) shall not apply in relation to—

(a) milk products produced before 1st February 2001;

(b) milk products prepared from milk which complies with paragraphs (2) or (3) of regulation 6;

(c) milk products subjected to heat treatment at a temperature of at least 72°C for 15 seconds or an equivalent treatment; and

(d) milk products destined for export to a third country where import conditions permit such products to treatment other than laid down in these Regulations.

(3) The prohibitions described in paragraph (1) shall not apply to milk products prepared in establishments under the following conditions—

(a) all milk used in the establishment will either conform to the conditions of regulation 6(2) or be obtained from animals outside the United Kingdom;

(b) all milk products used in the final product will either conform to the conditions of paragraph (2)(a), (b) or (c) or be made from milk obtained from animals outside the United Kingdom;

(c) the establishment shall be under strict veterinary control; and

(d) the milk products must be clearly identified and transported and stored separately from milk and milk products which are not destined for export.

(4)Milk products consigned to another member State shall be accompanied by an official certificate prepared by the Minister (or in Northern Ireland the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) and signed by a person appointed as an officer of the kind specified in the certificate which bears the following words—

“ Milk products conforming to Commission Decision 2001/172/EC of 1st March 2001 concerning certain protection measures with regard to foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom ” .

(5) Paragraph (4) shall not apply to milk products which conform to the requirements of paragraph (2)(a), (b) or (c) if such compliance is stated in the commercial document accompanying the consignment, endorsed in accordance with regulation 12, and the milk products either—

(a) are consigned in hermetically sealed containers, or

(b) have been processed in an establishment operating HACCP and an auditable standard operating procedure which ensures that standards for treatment are met and recorded.

Export of semen, etc.

8. —(1) No person shall export semen, ova or embryos of animals of the bovine, ovine, caprine and porcine species and other biungulates.

(2) The prohibition in paragraph (1) shall not apply in relation to frozen bovine semen and embryos produced before 1st February 2001.

(3) The health certificate provided for in Council Directive

“ Frozen bovine semen conforming to Commission Decision 2001/172/EC of 1st March 2001 concerning certain protection measures with regard to foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom ” .

(4) The health certificate provided for in Council Directive

“ Bovine embryos conforming to Commission Decision 2001/172/EC of 1st March 2001 concerning certain protection measures with regard to foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom ” .

Export of hides and skins

9. —(1) No person shall export hides and skins of animals of the bovine, ovine, caprine and porcine species and other biungulates.

(2) The prohibition in paragraph (1) shall not apply in relation to hides and skins which were produced before 1st February 2001 or which conform to the requirements of paragraph 1(A) indents 2 to 5 or paragraph 1(B), indents 3 and 4 of Chapter 3 of Annex I to Directive

(3) Hides and skins consigned to another member State must be accompanied by an official certificate prepared by the Minister (or in Northern Ireland the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) and signed by a person appointed as an officer of the kind specified in the certificate stating—

“ Hides and skins conforming to Commission Decision 2001/172/EC of 1st March 2001 concerning certain protection measures with regard to foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom ” .

(4) Paragraph (3) shall not apply to hides and skins which conform to the requirements of either—

(a) paragraph 1(A) indents 2 to 5 of Chapter 3 of Annex 1 to Council Directive

(b) paragraph 1(B) indents 3 and 4 of Chapter 3 to Annex I to Council Directive

if compliance with those conditions is stated in the commercial document accompanying the consignment, endorsed (in the case of sub-paragraph (b)) in accordance with regulation 12.

Export of animal products

10. —(1) No person shall export animal products of the bovine, ovine, caprine and porcine species and other biungulates not otherwise mentioned in these Regulations produced after 1st February 2001.

(2) No person shall export dung or manure.

(3) The prohibition in paragraph (1) shall not apply in relation to—

(a) animal products which have been subjected to—

(i) heat treatment in a hermetically sealed container with a Fo value of 3.00 or more; or

(ii) heat treatment in which the centre temperature is raised to at least 70°C;

(b) blood and blood products as defined in Chapter 7 of Annex I to Council Directive

(i) heat treatment at a temperature of 65°C for at least three hours followed by an effectiveness check;

(ii) irradiation at 2.5 megarads or gamma rays followed by an effectiveness check; or

(iii) Change of pH to pH5 or lower for at least two hours, followed by an effectiveness check;

(c) lard and rendered fats which have been subjected to the heat treatment prescribed in paragraph 2(A) of chapter 9 of Annex I to Council Directive

(d) animal casings to which the provisions of paragraph B Chapter 2 of Annex I to Council Directive

(e) sheep wool, ruminant hair and pigs’ bristles which have undergone factory washing or have been obtained from tanning and unprocessed sheep wool, ruminant hair and pigs’ bristles which are securely enclosed in packaging and dry;

(f) semi-moist and dried petfood conforming to the requirements of paragraphs 2 and 3 respectively of Chapter 4 of Annex I to Council Directive

(g) composite products which are not subjected to further treatment containing products of animal origin on the understanding that the treatment was not necessary for finished products the ingredients of which comply with the respective animal health conditions laid down in these Regulations; or

(h) game trophies in accordance with paragraph 2(b) of Part B of Chapter 13 to Annex I to Council Directive

(4) The animal products must be accompanied by an official certificate prepared by the Minister (or in Northern Ireland the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) and signed by a person appointed as an officer of the kind specified in the certificate stating—

“ Animal products conforming to Commission Decision 2001/172/EC of 1st March 2001 concerning certain protection measures with regard to foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom ” .

(5) Paragraph (4) shall not apply to products specified in sub-paragraphs (b), (c) or (d) of paragraph (3) which have a commercial document required under the Products of Animal Origin (Import and Export) Regulations 1996 (or, in Northern Ireland, the Products of Animal Origin (Import and Export) Regulations (Northern Ireland ) endorsed in accordance with regulation 12 of these Regulations.

(6) Paragraph (4) shall not apply to products specified in sub-paragraphs (c) of paragraph (3) which are accompanied by a commercial document stating either—

(a) that the products have undergone factory washing or have been obtained from tanning; or

(b) that the products comply with the conditions laid down in paragraphs (2) and (4) of Chapter 15 of Annex I to Council Directive

(7) Paragraph (4) shall not apply to products specified in sub-paragraph (g) of paragraph (3) which have been produced in an establishment operating HACCP and an auditable standard operating procedure which ensures that pre-processed ingredients comply with the requirements of these regulations and they have a commercial document endorsed in accordance with regulation 12.

Exemptions

11. The prohibitions in regulations 5, 6, 7 and 10 shall not apply in relation to—

(a) products produced and packaged outside the United Kingdom if the packaging indicates the country of origin and they remain in their original packaging; or

(b) products which are—

(i) produced in an establishment approved by the Minister (or in Northern Ireland the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) from pre-processed products originating outside the United Kingdom which, since introduction into the United Kingdom have been transported, stored and processed separately from products not destined for export; and

(ii) accompanied by a commercial document or official certificate as required by these Regulations.

Endorsement of commercial documents

12. —(1) Where reference is made to a commercial document being endorsed in accordance with this regulation, the document must have attached to it an official certificate prepared by the Minister (or in Northern Ireland the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) and signed by a person appointed as an officer of the kind specified in the certificate stating that the production process has been audited and found to be in accordance with these Regulations and suitable to destroy the foot-and-mouth disease virus or that the products concerned have been produced from pre-processed materials which have been certified accordingly and that provisions are in place to avoid possible re-contamination with the foot-and-mouth disease virus after treatment.

(2) The certificate shall bear a reference to the Decision, shall be valid for 30 days, shall state the expiry date and shall be renewable after inspection of the establishment.

Third country certificates

13. No person shall export anything to which these Regulations apply to a third country unless the consignment is accompanied by an official certificate prepared by the Minister (or in Northern Ireland the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) and signed by a person appointed as an officer of the kind specified in the certificate certifying compliance with the Regulations.

Export of horses

14. —(1) Any person exporting equidae to another member State shall ensure that they are accompanied by an Animal Health Certificate in accordance with the model in Annex C of Directive

(2) An inspector shall only issue a certificate referred to in paragraph (1) if he is satisfied that the animal has not been in an infected area (other than in transit through an infected area by road without being unloaded) to which Part III of the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Order 1983 (in Great Britain) or Part II of the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Order (Northern Ireland) 1962 in Northern Ireland applies at any time in the 15 days prior to certification.

Powers of inspectors

15. —(1) An inspector shall, on producing, if required to do so, some duly authenticated document showing his authority, have the right at all reasonable hours to enter any land or premises for the purposes of ascertaining whether there is or has been on the premises any contravention of these Regulations; and in this regulation “premises” includes any place, installation, vehicle (including any container, trailer, semi-trailer, caravan or other thing which is designed or adapted to be towed by another vehicle), train, ship, vessel, boat, craft, hovercraft or aircraft.

(2) An inspector shall have powers to carry out all checks and examinations necessary for the enforcement of these Regulations, and in particular may—

(a) carry out inspections of any processes used for the marking and identification of animals, any premises and any installation;

(b) examine documentary or data processing material relevant to the checks carried out under these Regulations; and

(c) take with him a representative of the European Commission acting for the purposes of the Decision.

Powers of customs officers

16. A customs officer may detain any vehicle, vessel, container or anything which he reasonably suspects to contain animals or products controlled by these Regulations for as long as is reasonably necessary to enable an inspector to exercise a power under these Regulations.

Illegal consignments

17. —(1) Where an inspector knows or suspects that animals or animal products are intended for export and do not comply with the requirements of these Regulations he may serve a notice on the person in charge of the consignment prohibiting the export of the animals or products in the consignment until he is satisfied that the animals or products comply with the Regulations.

(2) No person shall export anything subject to a notice served under this regulation unless it has been revoked.

(3) A notice under this section shall be in writing, may be subject to conditions and may be amended or revoked by further notice in writing at any time.

(4) Animals imported in contravention of these Regulations shall be dealt with as specified in the regulation 13 of the Animals and Animal Products (Import and Export) Regulations .

Obstruction

18. —(1) No person shall—

(a) intentionally obstruct any person acting in the execution of these Regulations;

(b) without reasonable cause, fail to give to any person acting in the execution of these Regulations any assistance or information which that person may reasonably require for the purposes of his functions under these Regulations, or

(c) furnish to any person acting in the execution of these Regulations any information which he knows to be false or misleading.

(2) Nothing in paragraph (1)(b) above shall be construed as requiring any person to answer any question or give any information if to do so might incriminate him.

Offences by bodies corporate

19. —(1) Where a body corporate is guilty of an offence under these Regulations, and that offence is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to have been attributable to any neglect on the part of—

(a) any director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate, or

(b) any person who was purporting to act in any such capacity,

he as well as the body corporate, shall be guilty of the offence and be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1) above, “director” in relation to a body corporate whose affairs are managed by its members, means a member of the body corporate.

Penalties

20. —(1) A person contravening any provision of these Regulations shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under regulation 18(1)(a) or (b) above shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to both.

(3) A person guilty of any other offence under these Regulations shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to imprisonment not exceeding three months or to both;

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both.

Certificates, etc. issued in Wales or Scotland

21. Where these Regulations require any certificate, licence or approval to be issued or granted by the Minister or the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, an equivalent certificate, licence or approval issued in Wales or Scotland by the relevant competent authority is valid.

Enforcement

22. In England these Regulations shall be enforced by the Minister or the local authority, and in Northern Ireland they shall be enforced by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Revocation

23.The Import and Export Restrictions (Foot-and-Mouth Disease) (No. 3) Regulations 2001 are revoked.