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update:Aug 14, 2006
New law: inspectors would get rights to enter premises and take samples
Under a proposed new law, UK inspectors would have the right to enter
any manufacturing premises to perform tests and take samples, to check for
the presence of animal borne diseases.
The Zoonoses (Monitoring) Regulations 2006 regulations provide authorised
inspectors with powers of entry, at all reasonable hours, to any premises where
any animal or animal feedingstuff is, or has been, present, in order to monitor
for zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance to zoonotic agents and other agents
that pose a threat to public health.
The law as drafted in intended to meet the requirement of the European Commision Directive 2003/99/EC. Other national
governments are in the process of passing similar leglislation to comply with
the EU directive.
The regulations have been drafted to aid the investment that Defra has
devoted to the protection of human health through enhanced monitoring and
surveillance. The law is intended to provide maximum protection to both animal
and human health from any zoonoses or zoonotic agent by facilitating the
assessment of risks from new epidemiological situations, allowing the greatest
speed of response to emerging zoonotic agents, and minimising the amount of
legislation that could be required.
The powers granted to inspectors under the monitoring programme would impose
only minor costs on meat processing plants and on primary meat producers, Defra
said.
For more information, see Defra's consultation package on the proposed new zoonoses law.
Editor WorldPoultry
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