L 31410 Official Journal of the European Union 1.12.2009 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1162/2009 of 30 November 2009 laying down transitional measures for the implementation of Regulations (EC) No 853/2004, (EC) No 854/2004 and (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Text with EEA relevance) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin ('), and in particular Article 9(1) thereof, Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific rules for the organisation of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption (?), and in particular Article 16(1) thereof, Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules (°), and in particular the first subparagraph and point (b) of the second subparagraph of Article 63(1) thereof, Whereas: (1) Regulations (EC) No 852/2004 (%), (EC) No 853/2004, (EC) No 854/2004 and (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council provide for significant changes to the rules and procedures to be followed by food business operators and the competent authorities of the Member States. Those Regulations apply from 1 January 2006. However, the application of a number of these measures with immediate effect from that date would have presented practical difficulties in certain cases. (2)  Accordingly, Commission Regulation (EC) No 2076/2005 of 5 December 2005 laying down transi- tional arrangements for the implementation of Regu- lations (EC) No 853/2004, (EC) No 854/2004 and (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council (°) provides for certain transitional arrangements () O] L 226, 25.6.2004, p. 22. () O] L 226, 25.6.2004, p. 83. () OJ L 191, 28.5.2004, p. 1. (4 O] L 226, 25.6.2004, p. 3. () O] L 338, 22.12.2005, p. 83. for a transitional period ending on 31 December 2009, in order to permit a smooth transition to the full imple- mentation of the new rules and procedures. The duration of the transitional period was fixed taking into account the review of this regulatory framework on hygiene. Regulations (EC) No 852/2004, (EC) No 853/2004 and (EC) No 854/2004 provide that the Commission is to submit a report to the European Parliament and to the Council reviewing the experience gained from the imple- mentation of the new regulatory framework on hygiene before 20 May 2009. The report was transmitted in July 2009. However, the report does not suggest any detailed solutions to the difficulties reported and is, therefore, not accompanied by proposals. On the basis of the difficulties identified, the Commission will consider the need for any proposals to improve the food hygiene Regulations. Meanwhile, based on the information received from the Food and Veterinary Office, the competent authorities in the Member States and relevant European food business sectors, certain transitional arrangements provided for in Regulation (EC) No 2076/2005 should be maintained pending the completion of the review process. Provision should therefore be made for a further transi- tional period during which certain transitional arrangements provided for in Regulation (EC) No 2076/2005 should continue to apply. With a view to a harmonised approach, that transitional period should in principle last four years but could, where justified, be shorter. Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 excludes from its scope the direct supply by the producer of small quantities of meat from poultry and lagomorphs slaughtered on the farm to the final consumer or to local retail estab- lishments supplying directly the final consumer as fresh meat. However, limiting this provision to fresh meat before the end of the review exercise would be an addi- tional burden for small producers. Accordingly, Regu- lation (EC) No 2076/2005 provides for a derogation from the general requirements of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 for the direct supply of such commodities under certain conditions, without limiting it to fresh meat. That possibility should be maintained during the additional transitional period provided for in this Regu- lation.