S.L. 437.84 Art. 12General rules.

(1) Operators and organisations marketing beef shall label it in accordance with this rule. The compulsory labelling system shall ensure a link between, on the one hand, the identification of the carcass, quarter or pieces of meat and, on the other hand, the individual animal or, where this is sufficient to enable the accuracy of the information on the label to be checked, the group of animals concerned.

(2) The label shall contain the following indications:

(a) a reference number or reference code ensuring the link between the meat and the animal or animals. This number may be the identification number of the individual animal from which the beef was derived or the identification number relating to a group of animals;

(b) the approval number of the slaughterhouse at which the animal or group of animals was slaughtered and the Member State or third country in which the slaughterhouse is established. The indication shall read: "Slaughtered in Malta (or name of the Member State or third country) (approval number)";

(c) the approval number of the cutting hall which performed the cutting operation on the carcass or group of carcases and the Member State or third country in which the hall is established. The indication shall read: "Cutting in Malta (or name of the Member State or third country) (approval number)".

(3) (a) Operators and organisations shall also indicate on the labels:

(i) the Member State or third country of birth;

(ii) all Member States or third countries where fattening took place;

(iii) the Member State or third country where slaughter took place.

(b) However, where the beef is derived from animals born, raised and slaughtered:

(i) in the same Member State, the indication may be given as "Origin: (name of Member State)";

(ii) in the same third country, the indication may be given as "Origin: (name of third country)".