No L 99/16 Official Journal of the European Communities 20. 4. 96 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 717/96 of 19 April 1996 adopting exceptional support measures for the beef and veal market in Belgium, France and the Netherlands THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 805/68 of 27 June 1968 on the common organization of the market in beef and veal ('), as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2417/95 (%), and in particular Article 23 thereof, Whereas Commission Decision 96/239/EEC of 27 March 1996 on emergency measures to protect against bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) (}) prohibits the expor- tation of live bovine animals, or any part of them, from the United Kingdom to other Member States and their export to third countries as a result of the incidence of BSE in the United Kingdom; whereas calves born in the United Kingdom had been exported to other Member States for fattening prior to the introduction of that export ban; whereas the possibility that these calves may enter the human food or animal feed chains has led to a lack of consumer confidence in beef and a disturbance of the markets in Belgium, France and the Netherlands; whereas it is therefore necessary to take exceptional measures to support these markets; whereas it is appropriate to esta- blish 2 Community co-financed scheme authorizing Belgium, France and the Netherlands to purchase the animals concerned with a view to killing and subse- quently destroying them; Whereas, in view of the extent of the disease and conse- quently of the magnitude of the efforts needed to support the market, it would be appropriate for such efforts to be shared by the Community and the Member States concerned; Whereas the most recently observed price of carcases of calves on the Community market was equivalent to ECU 2,8 per kilogram live weight and that it is therefore appro- priate to base the purchase price on this, without preju- dice to the possibility of subsequent adjustment in the light of developments; whereas, in similar cases the Community has contributed to the overall expenditure incurred at a rate of 70 %; whereas it is appropriate, to provide a Community contribution of 70 % of the purchase price paid by Belgium, France and by the Netherlands per animal destroyed under this Regulation; Whereas, it is necessary to ensure that the animals concerned are killed and destroyed in a hygienic manner; () OJ No L 148, 28. 6. 1968, p. 24. () O] No L 248, 14. 10. 1995, p. 39. () OJ No L 78, 28. 3. 1996, p. 47. whereas the price paid to producers is to compensate them for not selling the calves in question; whereas those calves must therefore be prohibited from being marketed; whereas it is therefore necessary to specify the conditions for the destruction of these animals and of the controls to be carried out by the authorities of the Member States concerned; Whereas, provision should be made for Commission experts to check compliance with the conditions as speci- fied; Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Beef and Veal, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 1. The competent authorities in Belgium, France and the Netherlands shall be authorized to purchase any bovine animal aged six months or less on 20 March 1996 and present on that date on a holding located in the terri- tory of Belgium, France or the Netherlands respectively presented to them by any producer, which can be proved by him to have been born in the United Kingdom. 2. The animals referred to in paragraph 1 shall be killed in specially designated slaughterhouses. If the hide is removed the head, internal organs and carcases shall be permanently stained. The stained material or the whole animal shall be transported in sealed containers to speci- ally authorized incineration or rendering plants for disposal in such a way that no part of it may be placed on the market. No part of the abovementioned animals may enter into the human food or animal feed chains or be used for cosmetic or pharmaceutical products. A represen- tative of the competent authority of Belgium, France and the Netherlands respectively shall be permanently present in the slaughterhouses referred to above in order to super- vise the operations in question. Notwithstanding the first subparagraph, the competent authorities of Belgium, France and the Netherlands may allow the on-farm slaughter of an animal where existing animal welfare practice would require this.