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Amendments to Regulation (EC) No 1255/97 Regulation (EC) No 1255/97 is hereby amended as follows: 1) the words ‘staging points’ shall be replaced by the words ‘control posts’ everywhere in the Regulation; 2) in Article 1, paragraph 1 shall be replaced by the following: ‘1. Control posts are places where animals are rested for at least 12 hours or more pursuant to point 1.5. or 1.7(b) of Chapter V of Annex I to Regulation (EC) 1/2005 ().’ 3) Article 3 shall be replaced by the following: ‘Article 3 1. The competent authority shall approve and issue an approval number to each control post. Such approval may be limited to a particular species or to certain categories of animal and health status. Member States shall notify the Commission of the list of approved control posts and any updates. Member States shall also notify the Commission of the detailed arrangements in application of the provisions in Article 4(2), in particular the period of use as control posts and the double purpose of approved premises.

2. Control posts shall be listed by the Commission in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 31(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 upon a proposal of the competent authority of the Member State concerned.

3. Member States may only propose control posts for listing once the competent authority has checked that it complies with the relevant requirements and approved it. For the purpose of such approval, the competent authority as defined in Article 2(6) of Directive 90/425/EEC shall ensure that control posts fulfil all the requirements in Annex I to this Regulation; in addition, such control posts shall:

(a) be located in an area which is not subject to prohibition or restrictions in accordance with relevant Community legislation;

(b) be under the control of an official veterinarian who shall ensure, inter alia, compliance with the provisions of this Regulation;

(c) operate in compliance with all the relevant Community rules regarding animal health, the movement of animals and the protection of animals at the time of slaughter;

(d) undergo regular inspection, at least twice a year, to ascertain that the requirements for approval continue to be fulfilled.

4. A Member State must, in serious cases, particularly on animal health or welfare grounds, suspend the use of a control post situated in its territory. It shall inform the Commission and the other Member States of such suspension and of its reasons. The suspension of the use of the control post may only be lifted after notification to the Commission and the other Member States on its reasons.

5. The Commission, in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 31(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1/2005, may suspend the use of a control post or withdraw it from the list, if on-the-spot checks carried out by the experts of the Commission as referred to in Article 28 of that Regulation indicate non-compliance with the relevant Community legislation.’; 4) in Article 4, the following paragraph shall be added: ‘4. The competent authority of the place of departure shall notify the movement of animals passing through control posts through the information exchange system referred to in Article 20 of Directive 90/425/EEC.’; 5) Article 6 shall be replaced by the following: ‘Article 6

1. Before the animals leave the control post, the official veterinarian or any veterinarian designated for this purpose by the competent authority shall confirm on the journey log as referred to in Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 that the animals are fit to continue their journey. Member States may stipulate that expenditure incurred as a result of the veterinary check shall be borne by the operator concerned.

2. The rules relating to the exchange of messages between authorities to comply with the requirements of this Regulation shall be laid down in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 31(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1/2005’; 6) Article 6a shall be replaced by the following: ‘Article 6a This Regulation shall be amended by the Council, acting by a qualified majority, on a proposal from the Commission, with a view in particular to adapting it to technological and scientific progress, except as regards any amendments to the Annex which are necessary to adapt it to the animal health situation which may be adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 31(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1/2005’;

7) in Article 6b, the first sentence, shall be replaced by the following: ‘Article 6b The Member States shall apply the provisions of Article 26 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 to penalise any infringement of the provisions of this Regulation and shall take all measures necessary to ensure that they are implemented.’; 8) Annex I shall be amended as follows:

(a) the title shall be replaced by the following: ‘ANNEX COMMUNITY CRITERIA FOR CONTROL POSTS’ (b) Section A shall be replaced by the following: ‘A. HEALTH AND HYGIENE MEASURES 1. Every control posts must (a) be located, designed, constructed and operated as to ensure sufficient bio-security preventing the spreading of serious infectious diseases to other holdings and between consecutive consignments of animals passing through these premises;

(b) be constructed, equipped and operated as to ensure that cleaning and disinfection procedures can be carried out. A lorry wash shall be provided on the spot. Such facilities must be operational under all weather conditions;

(c) be cleansed and disinfected before and after each use, as required by the official veterinarian.

2. Personnel and equipment entering into contact with the animals accommodated shall be exclusively dedicated to the premises concerned unless they have been subject to a cleaning and disinfection procedure after being in contact with the animals or their faeces or urine. In particular the person in charge of the control post shall provide clean equipment and protective clothes, which shall be kept exclusively for the use of any persons entering the control post, and shall make available suitable equipment for cleansing and disinfecting the above items.

3. Bedding material shall be removed when a consignment of animals is moved from an enclosure and, after the cleansing and disinfecting operations provided for in point 1(c), shall be replaced by fresh bedding.

4. Animals litter, faeces and urine shall not be collected from the premises unless they have been subject to an appropriate treatment in order to avoid the spreading of animal diseases.

5. Appropriate sanitary breaks between two consecutive consignments of animals shall be respected and if appropriate adapted depending on whether they come from a similar region, zone or compartment. In particular, control posts shall be completely cleared of animals for a period of at least 24 hours after a maximum of 6 days' use and after cleansing and disinfecting operations have been carried out, and prior to the arrival of any new consignment.

6. Before accepting animals, control posts shall:

(a) have started the cleansing and disinfection operations within 24 hours following the departure of all animals previously held there in accordance with the provisions of Article 4(3) of this Regulation;

(b) have remained clear of animals until the cleansing and disinfection operation is completed to the satisfaction of the official veterinarian.’;

(c) Section B, paragraph 1 shall be replaced by the following:

‘1. In addition to the provisions of Chapters II and III of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 applying to means of transport for loading and unloading animals, every control post must have suitable equipment and facilities available for the purpose of loading and unloading animals from the means of transport. In particular, such equipment and facilities must have a non-slip floor covering and, if necessary, be provided with lateral protection. Bridges, ramps and gangways must be fitted with sides, railings or some other means of protection to prevent animals falling off them. Loading and unloading ramps should have the minimum possible incline. Passageways must have floor coverings which minimise the risk of slipping and be so constructed as to minimise the risk of injury to animals. Particular care must be taken to ensure that no appreciable gap or step is allowed between the vehicle floor and the ramp or the ramp and the floor of the unloading area requiring animals to jump or likely to cause them to slip or stumble.’; 9) Annex II shall be deleted.