Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to the Act of Accession of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia, and in particular Annex X, Chapter 5, Section B, paragraph (d) thereto,

Whereas:

Annex X, Chapter 5, Section B, paragraph (a) to the 2003 Act of Accession provides that the structural requirements laid down in Annex I to Council Directive 64/433/EEC of 26 June 1964 on health conditions for the production and marketing of fresh meat^f1 are not to apply to establishments in Hungary listed in Appendix A^f2 to Annex X to the Act of Accession until 31 December 2006, subject to certain conditions.

Appendix A to Annex X to the 2003 Act of Accession has been amended by Commission Decisions 2004/462/EC^f3 and 2004/472/EC^f4.

According to an official declaration from the Hungarian competent authority, certain establishments in the meat sector have completed their upgrading process and are now in full compliance with Community legislation. Certain establishments have ceased their activities. Those establishments should therefore be deleted from the list of establishments in transition.

The status of two meat establishments and their reclassification as low capacity establishments is still under discussion with the Hungarian competent authority. It is necessary to foresee a short supplementary time in view to clarify the situation.

Furthermore a limited number of establishments have made considerable efforts to comply with structural requirements laid down by Community legislation. However those establishments are not in a position to finish their upgrading process by the prescribed deadline due to exceptional technical constraints. Therefore it is justified to allow them further time to complete the upgrading process.

Appendix A to Annex X to the 2003 Act of Accession should therefore be amended accordingly. For the sake of clarity, it should be replaced.

The Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health has been informed of the measures provided for in this Decision,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: