The competent authority shall, as regards the consignment referred to in paragraph 1 order, without delay, the operator responsible for the consignment to:
destroy the consignment;
re-dispatch the consignment outside the Union in accordance with Article 72(1) and (2); or
subject the consignment to special treatment in accordance with Article 71(1) and (2) or to any other measure necessary to ensure compliance with the rules referred to in Article 1(2), and, where appropriate, allocate the consignment for purposes other than those for which it was originally intended.
Any action referred to in points (a), (b) and (c) of the first subparagraph shall be performed in compliance with the rules referred to in Article 1(2), including in particular, as regards consignments of live animals, those intended to spare animals any avoidable pain, distress or suffering.
When the consignment consists of plants, plant products or other objects, points (a), (b) and (c) of the first subparagraph shall be applied either to the consignment or to lots thereof.
Before ordering the operator to take action in accordance with (a), (b) and (c) of the first subparagraph, the competent authority shall hear the operator concerned, unless immediate action is necessary in order to respond to a risk to human, animal or plant health, animal welfare or, as regards the GMOs and plant protection products, also to the environment.