COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) No 1362/2013
of 11 December 2013
laying down the methods for the sensory testing of uncooked seasoned poultry meat for the purposes of its classification in the Combined Nomenclature
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 of 23 July 1987 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff (1), and in particular Article 9(1)(a) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Additional Note 6(a) to Chapter 2 of the Combined Nomenclature annexed to Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 defines ‘uncooked seasoned meat’ as ‘uncooked meat that has been seasoned either in depth or over the whole surface of the product with seasoning either visible to the naked eye or clearly distinguishable by taste’.
(2)
In order to ensure that customs authorities apply a uniform approach for the purposes of customs classification, it is necessary to lay down methods for determining whether or not uncooked poultry meat is seasoned within the meaning of Additional Note 6(a) to Chapter 2 of the Combined Nomenclature.
(3)
In the light of studies carried out by the Group of European Customs Laboratories, the methods to verify whether uncooked poultry meat is seasoned or not should consist of, firstly, a visual examination and, secondly, the tasting of a sample.
(4)
The method consisting in the tasting of a sample should be applied only where the visual examination method does not lead to conclusive results.
(5)
The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Customs Code Committee,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
The methods used to determine whether or not uncooked poultry meat is seasoned for the purposes of classification in the Combined Nomenclature shall be laid down in the Annex.
Article 2
1. The visual examination of poultry meat shall be carried out by means of the method and under the conditions set out in Part I of the Annex.
The aim of the visual examination is to establish whether or not the poultry meat has been seasoned over the whole surface and whether the seasoning is visible to the naked eye.
2. The tasting of poultry meat shall be carried out by means of the method and under the conditions set out in Part II of the Annex.
The tasting shall only be undertaken in cases where, based on the results of the visual examination, it is not established that the sample has been seasoned over the whole surface and that the seasoning is visible to the naked eye.
The aim of the tasting is to establish whether the poultry meat has been seasoned in depth or over the whole surface and whether the seasoning is clearly distinguishable by taste.
The preparations of the tasting shall be carried out only on the premises fulfilling the minimum equipment requirements set out in point (2) of Part II of the Annex.
Article 3
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 11 December 2013.