Appendix 1: Legislative requirements for clean livestock at slaughter

The retained EU Food Hygiene Regulations (EC No. 852/2004, EC No. 853/2004 and EU 2019/627) emphasise every food business operatorʼs (including abattoir operatorʼs) responsibility to produce food safely by applying good hygienic practices and food safety management procedures based on hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) principles.

Retained EC Regulation 852/2004 (H1) requires food business operators rearing animals to, as far as possible, ensure the cleanliness of animals going to slaughter and, where necessary, production animals. Retained EC Regulation 853/2004 (H2) provides the hygiene control requirements for slaughter and states that all animals should be ʻcleanʼ before being accepted onto the slaughterhouse premises.

Retained EU Regulation 2019/627, article 11, paragraph 4; also refers to the Food Business Operator's obligation to ensure that animals have a clean hide so as to avoid any unacceptable risk of contamination of the fresh meat during slaughter.