Level and certificate of competence
Article 7
1. Killing and related operations shall only be carried out by persons with the appropriate level of competence to do so without causing the animals any avoidable pain, distress or suffering. 2. Business operators shall ensure that the following slaughter operations are only carried out by persons holding a certificate of competence for such operations, as provided for in Article 21, demonstrating their ability to carry them out in accordance with the rules laid down in this Regulation: (a) the handling and care of animals before they are restrained; (b) the restraint of animals for the purpose of stunning or killing; (c) the stunning of animals; (d) the assessment of effective stunning; (e) the shackling or hoisting of live animals; (f) the bleeding of live animals; (g) the slaughtering in accordance with Article 4(4). 3. Without prejudice to the obligation set out in paragraph 1 of this Article, the killing of fur animals shall be carried out in the presence and under the direct supervision of a person holding a certificate of competence as referred to in Article 21 issued for all the operations carried out under his supervision. Business operators of fur farms shall notify the competent authority in advance when animals are to be killed.