Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1799 of 24 July 2026 authorising grading methods for the classification of pig carcasses in the Netherlands and repealing Implementing Decision 2011/303/EU (notified under document C(2026) 5120) (Only the Dutch text is authentic)
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Address https://gelex.eu/eli/EU/decision/2026/1799@2026-07-24/en
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/2007, and in particular Article 20, first paragraph, points (p) and (t), thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Article 10 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 provides that Union scales for the classification of pig carcasses are to apply in accordance with point B of Annex IV to that Regulation. Section B.IV, point 1, of Annex IV to that Regulation provides that, for the classification of pig carcasses, the lean meat content is to be assessed by means of grading methods authorised by the Commission, that only statistically proven assessment methods based on the physical measurement of one or more anatomical parts of the pig carcass may be authorised and that grading methods are subject to compliance with a maximum tolerance rate for statistical error in assessment. That tolerance is defined in Part A, point 1, second paragraph, of Annex V to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1182.
(2) Commission Implementing Decision 2011/303/EU authorised the use of three methods for grading pig carcasses in the Netherlands.
(3) The Netherlands has requested the Commission to withdraw the authorisation of the methods Hennessy Grading Probe (HGP 7) and CSB Image-Meater (CSB).
(4) The Netherlands has also requested the Commission to authorise the following new methods: AutoFom IV, CSB Image-Meater 2.0 and Fat-O-Meater II (FOM II). For that purpose, the Netherlands has presented a detailed description of the dissection trial, indicating the principles on which this new method is based, the results of the dissection trial and the equations used for assessing the percentage of lean meat in the protocol referred to in Article 11(3) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1182.
(5) The Netherlands has also requested the Commission to authorise an updated formula for the method Capteur Gras Maigre (CGM) already authorised by Implementing Decision 2011/303/EU for grading pig carcasses on its territory.
(6) The examination of those requests has revealed that the conditions and minimum requirements for authorising the new grading methods and updating the equations for the authorised methods as laid down in Part A of Annex V to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1182 are fulfilled for all those requests. The new grading method and the new formulas should therefore be authorised in the Netherlands.
(7) Unless explicitly authorised by a Commission implementing decision, modifications of the grading methods or apparatuses thereof should not be allowed.
(8) For reasons of clarity and legal certainty, Implementing Decision 2011/303/EU should be repealed.
(9) In order to allow operators sufficient time to adapt to the technical requirements of introducing new devices and new equations, this Decision should apply from 1 January 2027.
(10) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for the Common Organisation of the Agricultural Markets,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The use of the following grading methods is authorised for the assessment of the lean meat content of pig carcasses pursuant to Section B.IV, point 1, of Annex IV to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 in the Netherlands:
(a) the AutoFom IV apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are set out in Part I of the Annex;
(b) the CSB Image-Meater 2.0 apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are set out in Part II of the Annex;
(c) the Fat-O-Meat’er II (FOM II) apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are set out in Part III of the Annex;
(d) the Capteur Gras Maigre (CGM) apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are set out in Part IV of the Annex.
Article 2
Modifications of the authorised grading methods or apparatuses thereof referred to in Article 1 shall be authorised by Commission Implementing Decision.
Article 3
Implementing Decision 2011/303/EU is repealed.
Article 4
This Decision is addressed to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It shall apply from 1 January 2027.
Done at Brussels, 24 July 2026. For the Commission Christophe Hansen Member of the Commission
ANNEX
ANNEX GRADING METHODS FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF PIG CARCASSES IN THE NETHERLANDS
PART I (1)(2)(3) AutoFOM IV
The rules provided for in this Part shall apply when the classification of pig carcasses is carried out by means of the apparatus AutoFOM IV. The apparatus consists of 25 wide band ultrasonic transducers (Frontmatec A/S), with an operating distance between transducers of 16,5 mm. The ultrasonic data comprises measurements of back-fat thickness, muscle thickness and related parameters. The results of the measurements shall be converted into estimates of the percentage of lean meat by using a computer. The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated in accordance with the following formula: Y = 64,48671 – 0,37519 × R2P4 – 0,34035 × R2P10 + 0,03625 × R3P9, Where: Y the estimated lean meat percentage, R2P4 the thickness of back-fat (not including rind) in millimetres, in the P2 position, R2P10 the minimum thickness of back-fat (not including rind) in millimetres in the entire carcass (this point defines MFT1 position), R3P9 the thickness of the loin in millimetres in the MFT1 position. The MFT refers to the position of the minimum fat thickness (not including rind). MFT1 refers to the minimum fat thickness in the entire carcass and MFT2 refers to the minimum fat thickness in the loin closest to the bottom of the array. P2 position is at 70 millimetres from the spine in MFT2. This formula shall be valid for carcasses weighing between 60 and 140 kg warm weight.
PART II (1)(2)(3) CSB Image-Meater 2.0
The rules provided for in this Part shall apply when the grading of pig carcasses is carried out by means of the method known as CSB Image-Meater 2.0. The CSB Image-Meater 2.0 apparatus (CSB-System SE) consists of a straight guiding bar, a small angle black/white camera, 4 LED lightbars in a rhombus shape and a PC for image analysis. The Image-Meater variables are all measured at the split line in the ham area (around the musculus gluteus medius). The results of the measurements shall be converted into estimates of the percentage of lean meat by using a computer. The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated in accordance with the following formula: Y = 66,56517 – 0,18436 × ZPF + 0,04177 × ZPM – 0,14654 × MF – 0,17818 × V4F, Where: Y the estimated lean meat percentage, ZPF the smallest thickness of fat (including rind) in millimetres over the musculus gluteus medius, ZPM the thickness of lumbar muscle in millimetres, measured as the shortest distance from the front (cranial) end of the musculus gluteus medius to the upper (dorsal) edge of the spinal canal, MF mean fat thickness in millimetres of the musculus gluteus medius, V4F mean fat thickness (mm) above the fourth vertebrae. This formula shall be valid for carcasses weighing between 60 and 140 kg warm weight.
PART III (1)(2)(3) Fat-O-Meat’er II (FOM II)
The rules provided for in this Part shall apply when the classification of pig carcasses is carried out by means of the apparatus Fat-O-Meat’er II (FOM II). The FOM II apparatus (Frontmatec A/S) consists of an optical sensor element, a depth measurement device and a data acquisition and analysis board along with a display. The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated in accordance with the following formula: Y = 68,94293 – 0,80855 × X1 + 0,02912 × X2, Where: Y the estimated lean meat percentage, X1 the thickness of back-fat (including rind) in millimetres, measured perpendicularly at 7 centimetres off the midline of the carcass on the outside and 4 centimetres off the midline of the carcass on the inside, between the second and third last ribs, X2 the thickness of muscle in millimetres measured perpendicularly at 7 centimetres off the midline of the carcass on the outside and 4 centimetres off the midline of the carcass on the inside, between the second and third last ribs. This formula shall be valid for carcasses weighing between 60 and 140 kg warm weight.
PART IV (1)(2)(3) Capteur Gras Maigre (CGM)
The rules provided for in this Part shall apply when the grading of pig carcasses is carried out by means of the method known as Capteur Gras Maigre (CGM). The CGM apparatus (Fives Syleps) is equipped with a probe of 8 millimetres which consists of an optical sensor element, a depth measurement device and a data acquisition and analysis board. The results of the measurements are converted into estimated lean meat content by means of a computer. The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated in accordance with the following formula: Y = 69,14504 – 0,77025 × X1 + 0,00922 × X2 Where: Y the estimated lean meat percentage, X1 the thickness of back-fat (including rind) in millimetres, measured perpendicularly at 6 centimetres off the midline of the carcass on the outside and 2,5 centimetres off the midline of the carcass on the inside, between the third and fourth last ribs, X2 the thickness of muscle in millimetres, measured perpendicularly at 6 centimetres off the midline of the carcass on the outside and 2,5 centimetres off the midline of the carcass on the inside, between the third and fourth last ribs. This formula shall be valid for carcasses weighing between 60 and 140 kg warm weight.