Performance of sampling and analyses
Article 4
1. Sampling shall be performed by the competent authority or under its supervision in accordance with the technical specifications set out in Annex I. 2. National reference laboratories (NRLs) for Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp. and antimicrobial resistance testing shall perform the relevant parts of the analyses of samples and isolates. 3. However, the competent authority may decide to designate other laboratories involved in official controls of Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp. and antimicrobial resistance testing, to perform the analyses of samples and isolates. In such cases, the NRLs shall provide support and training to the designated laboratories and ensure that they comply with rules on quality controls by arranging regular ring tests. The laboratories designated in accordance with the third paragraph of this Article which perform testing must comply which the following conditions: (a) they must have proven experience of using the methods required for the testing; (b) they must have a quality assurance system complying with EN/ISO standard 17025; (c) they must be subjected to the supervision of the relevant NRLs.