(1)

Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) lays down health rules concerning animal by-products not intended for human consumption. It provides for structural requirements to be applied in establishments treating category 1, 2 and 3 material.

(2)

In order to facilitate the transition from the existing regime in Latvia to that resulting from the application of the Community veterinary legislation, transitional measures foreseen in Annex VIII to the Act of Accession provide for supplementary time for establishments to correct their structural shortcomings, but limit the activities of the said establishments to the processing of category 3 material as defined in Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002.

(3)

Commission Decision 2004/476/EC (2) amending Appendix B to Annex VIII to the 2003 Act of Accession to include certain animal by-products establishments in Latvia in the list of establishments in transition has included six additional establishments to the list in the Appendix.

(4)

For those establishments, and one establishment already listed, it appears appropriate to derogate from the activity limitation in order to avoid in particular the negative sanitary consequences which could emerge if the establishments were to suspend their activities.

(5)

Taking account of the advanced stage of upgrading and the exceptional nature of the transitional measure, the transitional period should be limited to 31 December 2004 and should not be prolonged after that date.

(6)

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,