Article 53 Requirements for Class A areas

The competent authorities may classify as Class A areas those from which live bivalve molluscs may be collected for direct human consumption.

Live bivalve molluscs placed on the market from such areas shall meet the health standards for live bivalve molluscs set out in Chapter V of Section VII of Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004.

Samples of live bivalve molluscs from Class A areas shall not exceed, in 80 % of samples collected during the review period, 230 E. coli per 100 g of flesh and intravalvular liquid.

The remaining 20 % of samples shall not exceed 700 E. coli per 100 g of flesh and intravalvular liquid.

When evaluating the results for the fixed review period for maintenance of a Class A area, the competent authorities may, on the basis of a risk assessment based on an investigation, decide to disregard an anomalous result exceeding the level of 700 E. coli per 100 g of flesh and intravalvular liquid.