30.12.2006 Official Journal of the European Union L 4041 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) REGULATION (EC) No 1923/2006 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 18 December 2006 amending Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradica- tion of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EURO- (2) PEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com- munity, and in particular Article 152(4)(b) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (%), Having consulted the Committee of the Regions, Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article y 251 of the Treaty (%), “) Whereas: (1) Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 (’) is intended to provide a single legal framework for transmissible spongiform ence- phalopathies (TSEs) in the Community. () 0] C234,22.9.2005, p. 26. () Opinion of the European Parliament of 17 May 2006 (not yet published in the Official Journal), Council common position of 24 November 2006 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and Position of the European Parliament of 12 December 2006 (not yet published in the Official Journal). OJ L 147, 31.5.2001, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1041/2006 (O] L 187, 8.7.2006, p. 10). — o} ~ Regulation (EC) No 932/2005 of the European Parlia- ment and of the Council of 8 June 2005 amending Regu- lation (EC) No 999/2001 as regards the extension of the period for transitional measures (*) prolonged the period of application of the transitional measures provided for in Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 until 1 July 2007 at the latest. During the General Session of the World Organisation for Animal Health in May 2003, a Resolution was adopted to simplify the current international criteria for the classification of countries according to their Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) risk. A proposal was adopted at the General Session in May 2005. The Articles of Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 should be adapted to reflect the new internationally agreed categorisation systen. New developments concerning sampling and analysis will require comprehensive amendments to Annex X to Regu- lation (EC) No 999/2001. It is therefore necessary to make certain technical amendments to the existing defini- tion of ‘rapid tests’ in Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 in order to facilitate amendment of the structure of that Annex at a later stage. In the interests of clarity of Community legislation, it is appropriate to clarify that the definition of ‘mechanically separated meat’ provided for in other Community legisla- tion on food safety should be applicable in Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 in the context of TSE eradication measures. () OJL163,23.6.2005,p. 1.