A. OFFICIAL VETERINARIANS

The competent authority may appoint only veterinarians who have passed a test meeting the requirements of paragraph 2 as official veterinarians. The competent authority must make arrangements for the test. The test is to confirm knowledge of the following subjects to the extent necessary depending on the veterinarian's background and qualifications: national and Community legislation on veterinary public health, food safety, animal health, animal welfare and pharmaceutical substances; principles of the Common Agricultural Policy, market measures, export refunds and fraud detection (including the global context: WTO, SPS, Codex Alimentarius, OIE); (c essentials of food processing and food technology; principles, concepts and methods of good manufacturing practice and quality management; pre-harvest quality management (good farming practices); promotion and use of food hygiene, food related safety (good hygiene practices); principles, concepts and methods of risk-analysis; principles, concepts and methods of HACCP, use of HACCP throughout the food production food chain; prevention and control of food-borne hazards related to human health; population dynamics of infection and intoxication; diagnostic epidemiology; monitoring and surveillance systems; auditing and regulatory assessment of food safety management systems; principles and diagnostic applications of modern testing methods; information and communication technology as related to veterinary public health; data-handling and applications of biostatistics; investigations of outbreaks of food-borne diseases in humans; relevant aspects concerning TSEs; animal welfare at the level of production, transport and slaughter; environmental issues related to food production (including waste management); precautionary principle and consumer concerns; and principles of training of personnel working in the production chain. Candidates may acquire the required knowledge as part of their basic veterinary training, or through training undertaken, or professional experience acquired, after qualifying as veterinarians. The competent authority may arrange for different tests to take account of candidates' background. However, when the competent authority is satisfied that a candidate has acquired all the required knowledge as part of a university degree, or through continuing education resulting in a post-graduate qualification, it may waive the requirement for a test. The veterinarian is to have aptitude for multidisciplinary cooperation. In addition, each official veterinarian is to undergo practical training for a probationary period of at least 200 hours before starting to work independently. During this period the probationer is to work under the supervision of existing official veterinarians in slaughterhouses, cutting plants, inspection posts for fresh meat and on holdings. The training is to concern the auditing of food safety management systems in particular. The official veterinarian is to maintain up-to-date knowledge and to keep abreast of new developments through regular continuing education activities and professional literature. The official veterinarian is, wherever possible, to undertake annual continuing education activities. Veterinarians already appointed as official veterinarians must have adequate knowledge of the subjects mentioned in paragraph 2. Where necessary, they are to acquire this knowledge through continuing education activities. The competent authority is to make adequate provision in this regard. Notwithstanding paragraphs 1 to 6, Member States may lay down specific rules for official veterinarians working on a part-time basis who are responsible for inspecting small businesses

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-11-04 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.