Company of production, trade and services SERTA COMPANY Risto LLC export-import Skopje

EU Legislative Interests

In the European Union, the slaughter of farm animals is governed by several key regulations and policies aimed at ensuring animal welfare, food safety, and environmental responsibility. Regulation (EC) No. 1099/2009 is the primary law governing the protection of animals at the time of slaughter, requiring humane stunning methods to minimize pain and distress, proper training for personnel, and humane transport conditions. It also provides specific rules for different species, such as cattle, pigs, and poultry, while allowing some exemptions for religious slaughter. Alongside this, Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 establishes hygiene standards for foodstuffs, requiring slaughterhouses to implement sanitary practices and regular veterinary inspections to ensure meat safety, with an emphasis on traceability throughout the food chain. The General Food Law Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 complements these by mandating comprehensive food safety management systems, including hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP), and full traceability of meat products from slaughter to consumption. Additionally, Directive 91/493/EEC governs the health conditions for the production and placing on the market of fishery products, relevant for companies handling fish. Countries within the EU also require compliance with environmental and waste management regulations, such as Regulation (EC) No. 1069/2009 for animal by-products, which mandates safe disposal and treatment of slaughter residues like offal and blood. Slaughterhouses must also adhere to national laws and environmental impact assessments for facility expansions or new builds, and must manage animal health risks according to Regulation (EC) No. 999/2001 on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and other diseases. Furthermore, businesses involved in meat production must follow Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011 on food labeling, ensuring transparency about the country of origin and other product details. Finally, the EU’s broader Animal Welfare Strategy aims to continuously improve the ethical standards surrounding the treatment of farm animals, including during slaughter, transport, and farming.

Interests Represented

Promotes their own interests or the collective interests of their members