L 117/44 Official Journal of the European Union 13.5.2003 COMMISSION DECISION of 12 May 2003 on transitional measures under Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 as regards the low capacity incinera- tion or co-incineration plants which do not incinerate or co-incinerate specified risk material or carcases containing them (notified under document number C(2003) 1501) (Only the English, Finnish and Swedish texts are authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2003/327[EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 October 2002 laying down health rules concerning animal by-products not intended for human consumption ('), and in particular Article 32(1) thereof, Whereas: (1) Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 provides for a complete revision of Community rules concerning animal by- products not intended for human consumption, including the introduction of a number of strict require- ments. In addition, it provides that appropriate transi- tional measures may be adopted. 2)  In view of the strict nature of those requirements, it is necessary to provide for transitional measures for Finland and the United Kingdom in order to allow industry sufficient time to adjust. In addition, alternative collection, transport, storage, handling, processing and uses for animal by-products need to be further devel- oped as well as disposal methods for those by-products. (3)  Accordingly, as a temporary measure a derogation should be granted to Finland and the United Kingdom to enable them to authorise operators to continue to apply national rules for the low capacity incineration or co- incineration plants which do not incinerate or co-incin- erate specified risk material or carcases containing them. (4 In order to prevent a risk to animal and public health, appropriate control systems should be maintained in Finland and the United Kingdom for the period of the transitional measures. (5)  The measures provided for in this Decision are in accor- dance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, () OJ L 273,10.10.2002, p. 1. HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Atrticle 1 Derogation regarding the low capacity incineration or co- incineration plants 1. Pursuant to Article 32(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1774/ 2002 and by way of derogation from Article 12(3) of that Regulation, individual approvals may continue to be granted until 31 December 2004 at the latest to operators in confor- mity with national rules for low capacity incineration or co- incineration plants to which Directive 2000/76/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (%) does not apply and which do not incinerate or co-incinerate specified risk materials or carcases containing them, to apply such national rules by Finland in the case of low capacity incineration or co-incinera- tion plants and by the United Kingdom in the case of low-capa- city incineration plants provided that: (a) animal by-products are handled and stored safely and incin- erated or co-incinerated without undue delay in such a way that they are reduced to dry ash; (b) the dry ash is disposed of properly and records are kept of the quantity and description of the animal by-products incinerated and the date of such incineration; and (c) the national rules are only applied in premises and facilities that applied those rules on 1 November 2002. 2. The dry ash shall not be removed from the combustion chamber unless combustion is complete. Transport and inter- mediate storage of the dry ash shall take place in a closed container to prevent dispersal in the environment and be disposed of safely. 3. In the case of a breakdown or abnormal operating condi- tions the operator must reduce or close down operations as soon as practicable until normal operations can be resumed. () OJ L 332, 28.12.2000, p. 91.