and Private Undertakings (Registers for Hybrid Breeding Pigs) Regulations,

B

L.N. 314 of 2003

VETERINARY SERVICES ACT

(ACT NO. XXIII of 2001)

Approval and Supervision of Breeders’ Associations, Breeding Organisations

and Private Undertakings (Registers for Hybrid Breeding Pigs) Regulations,

IN exercise of the powers conferred by article 34(b) of the Veterinary Services Act,

the Minister for Rural Affairs and the Environment, has made the following

regulations :-

Title and scope

(1) The title of these regulations is the Approval and Supervision of

Breeders’ Associations, Breeding Organisations and Private Undertakings (Registers

for Hybrid Breeding Pigs) Regulations, 2003.

(2) The scope of these regulations is to implement the provisions found under

European Union Commission Decision 89/504/EEC laying down the criteria for

approval and supervision of breeders' associations, breeding organisations and

private undertakings which establish or maintain registers for hybrid breeding pigs,

which in turn finds a legal basis under article 10(d) of European Union Council

Directive 88/661/EEC.

Official approval of breeders’ associations, breeding organisations and private

undertakings.

In order to be officially approved, breeders' associations, breeding organisations and private

undertakings must –

1. Have legal personality in accordance with the legislation in force in the territory of Malta

or the Member State where the application is made;

2. Prove to the competent authorities -

(a) that they operate efficiently;

(b) that they can carry out the checks necessary for recording parentage;

(c) that they have a sufficiently large herd to carry out a breed improvement programme;

(d) that they can make use of the livestock performance data necessary for carrying out their

breed improvement;

3. Have a set of rules covering -

(a) the system for identifying animals;

(b) the system for recording parentage;

(c) the definition of their breeding objectives;

(d) the systems for making use of livestock performance data enabling the genetic value of

the animals to be assessed.

II. Furthermore, to be officially approved, the breeders' associations and the breeding organisations

must have articles of association laying down in particular the principles of non-discrimination

between members.

(1) In order to be officially approved, breeders' associations, breeding

organisations and private undertakings which maintain or establish registers must

submit an application to the authorities of the territory of Malta or the Member State

on whose territory their headquarters are situated.

(2) For the purpose of these regulations “trading partner” within the meaning

of article 2 of the Veterinary Services Act shall mean –

(a) Member States of the European Community;

(b) Third countries to the European Community.

B

Official approval to be granted by authorities

The authorities concerned must grant official approval to any breeders'

association, breeding organisation or private undertaking which maintains or

establishes a register if the latter meets the conditions laid down in the Schedule to

these regulations.

Withdrawal of official approval

The authorities concerned shall withdraw official approval from any

breeders' association, breeding organisation or private undertaking which maintains

registers if the conditions laid down in the Schedule are no longer being fulfilled in a

persistent manner by the breeders' association, breeding organisation or private

undertaking concerned.

B