# The Animals and Fresh Meat (Examination for Residues) Regulations 1988, Note: Explanatory note


(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations, which apply throughout the United Kingdom, come into force on 1st May 1988. They implement Articles 8, 9 and 10 of Council Directive 86/469/EEC (OJ No. L275, 26.9.86, p.36) concerning the examination of animals and fresh meat for the presence of residues, Article 8.1(a) of which provides for sampling to be carried out officially in the Member States in accordance with common criteria for the different groups of substances of concern. Articles 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Council Directive 85/358/EEC (OJ No. 191, 23.7.85, p.46) supplementing Directive 81/602/EEC concerning the prohibition of certain substances having hormonal action and of any substances having a thyrostatic action, are also implemented by these Regulations, as modified by regulation 6 of the Animals and Fresh Meat (Hormonal Substances) Regulations 1988 (S.I. 1988/849).
The Regulations—
(a) make provision for the primary analysis of official samples taken from animals and fresh meat, for notice to the owner and the competent authority of positive findings of prohibited substances and excess authorised substances and for reference analysis where such findings are challenged by the owner or the competent authority so decides (regulations 4, 5 and 6);
(b) empower competent authorities, where they are of the opinion, as a result of information received from specified sources or otherwise have reasonable grounds for suspecting the presence of residues, to subject animals at farms of origin and elsewhere to examinations for residues, to mark them and to control their disposal during examinations (regulation 7);
(c) require notices to be given to owners on completion of examinations, forbidding sale or slaughter for consumption where prohibited substances or while excess authorised substances are present (regulation 8);
(d) permit, in specified circumstances, the early slaughter of animals containing excess authorised substances (regulation 9);
(e) require the keeping, retention and production of specified records and documents (regulations 10 and 11 and Schedules 1 and 2);
(f) confer on authorised officers powers of inspection, sampling and entry (regulations 12 and 13);
(g) make provision for assistance to authorised officers, certificates of analysis, service of notices and certificates and offences and penalties (regulations 14—18).

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1988/848/note (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/animals-and-fresh-meat-examination-for-residues-regulations-1988/note
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.