L 310/62 Official Journal of the European Communities 4.12.1999 COMMISSION DECISION of 3 December 1999 on protective measures with regard to contamination by dioxins of certain products of porcine and poultry origin intended for human or animal consumption (notified under document number C(1999) 4220) (Text with EEA relevance) (1999/788/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Directive 89/662/EEC of 11 December 1989 concerning veterinary checks in infra- Community trade with a view to the completion of the internal market (') as last amended by Directive 92/118/EEC (), and in particular Article 9(4) thereof, Having regard to Council Directive 90/425/EEC of 26 June 1990 concerning veterinary and zootechnical checks applicable in infra-Community trade in certain live animal and products with a view to the completion of the internal market () as last amended by Directive 92/118/EEC, and in particular Article 10(4) thereof, Whereas: (1)  On 27 May 1999, the Belgian authorities informed the Commission of a case of heavy contamination of compound feedingstuffs with dioxins. Those feeding- stuffs had been distributed to a considerable number of poultry farms in Belgium (some 25 %) from 15 January 1999 onwards. (2) From 26 May 1999, the Belgian authorities placed restrictions on all the poultry holdings which had received those feedingstuffs. The Belgian authorities prohibited the slaughter of poultry from 1 June 1999. Products intended for human or animal consumption derived from animals reared in those farms before that date may still be on the market. (3)  On 2 June 1999, the Belgian authorities informed the Commission that they had placed restrictions on some 500 pig holdings which may have received contami- nated feedingstuffs. On 3 June 1999, they also informed the Commission that contaminated feedingstuffs had been distributed to a number of bovine holdings as well. The Belgian authorities adopted measures applying to pigs and bovine animals and derived products which were similar to those applied in the case of poultry and, in particular, they prohibited the slaughter of bovine animals and pigs from 3 June 1999. (4) It appears that those feedingstuffs, live animals which had been fed therewith and products derived from those animals have been traded to other Member States and 0 L 395, 30.12.1989, p. 13. () O] L 62, 15.3.1993, p. 49. () O] L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 20. third countries. Other animal species may have been fed with those contaminated feedingstuffs, Investigation of the responsibility for this contamination is continuing. The Community inspection in Belgium on 8 to 11 June 1999 concluded that, on the basis of the available results of analyses, a massive contamination occurred over a limited time, rather that a recurring problem. The Belgian authorities have carried out a number of surveil- lance programmes on the feed sectors. The results of these programmes have not showed positive results linked to this dioxin contamination in feed ingredients and compound feedingstuffs produced after 2 April 1999. From 20 September 1999, the Belgian authorities have prohibited the slaughter of pigs and poultry and the placing on the market of eggs unless they come from homogenous groups for which the results of analysis on representative samples from those animals or eggs have demonstrated that they are not contaminated with dioxins or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Further- more, the Belgian authorities have instigated an analyt- ical programme for the certification of all poultry and pig holdings. This programme is currently underway and will be completed as soon as possible. Action is taken by the Belgian authorities to destroy flocks or herds on holdings where contamination is confirmed by addi- tional testing. In the meanwhile, from 15 October 1999, the Belgian authorities have prohibited the placing on the market of pigs and poultry for the purpose of breeding, production or slaughtering and hatching eggs and eggs for human consumption, unless they come from holdings certified by the Belgian authorities as not contaminated by dioxins or PCBs on the basis of the above analytical programme, In the light of the foregoing, it is necessary to take measures to protect the, health of consumers. The meas- ures should apply to products derived from poultry and pigs reared in Belgium from 15 January 1999 onwards. The measures should not apply to products which have been shown by analyses not to be contaminated by dioxins or which have been derived from animals slaughtered after 20 September 1999 or from eggs laid after that date. Provision should be made for contami- nated products to be destroyed in a manner that ensures