Criteria and conditions establishing when ante-mortem inspections in certain slaughterhouses may be performed by an official auxiliary
Article 3
1. By way of derogation from Article 18(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625, ante-mortem inspections may be performed by an official auxiliary under the supervision of the official veterinarian on species other than poultry and lagomorphs, provided that the procedures applied in the slaughterhouse comply with the following criteria and conditions: (a) the tasks within ante-mortem inspections are of a purely practical nature and only concern one or more of the following: (i) verification that the food business operator complies with the requirements related to food chain information and to the animal's identity check; (ii) the preselection of animals showing possible abnormalities as regards human health, animal health and animal welfare requirements; (b) the official veterinarian is immediately informed by the official auxiliary performing the inspection when possible abnormalities are observed or suspected and the official veterinarian then carries out the ante-mortem inspection in person; and (c) the official veterinarian regularly verifies that the official auxiliary is carrying out his/her tasks properly. 2. By way of derogation from Article 18(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625, ante-mortem inspections may be performed on all species by an official auxiliary in a slaughterhouse under the responsibility of the official veterinarian, provided that the following criteria and conditions are met: (a) an ante-mortem inspection has already been carried out by the official veterinarian at the holding of provenance in accordance with Article 5; (b) the official veterinarian is immediately informed by the official auxiliary performing the inspection when possible abnormalities are observed or suspected and the official veterinarian then carries out the ante-mortem inspection in person; and (c) the official veterinarian regularly verifies that the official auxiliary is carrying out his/her tasks properly. 3. The derogations in paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply: (a) to animals that undergo emergency slaughter as referred to in Chapter VI of Section I of Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004; (b) to animals suspected of having a disease or condition that may adversely affect human health; (c) to bovine animals from herds that have not been declared officially free of tuberculosis or the officially free status of which has been suspended; (d) to bovine animals from herds and to ovine and caprine animals from holdings that have not been declared officially free of brucellosis or the officially free status of which has been suspended; (e) in the case of an outbreak of animal diseases to animals coming from a region as defined in Article 2 of Council Directive 64/432/EEC ( 9 ) in which animal health restrictions are applied in accordance with Union legislation; (f) to animals subject to stricter controls due to the spread of emerging diseases or particular diseases listed by the World Organisation for Animal Health.