EU Audit Shows Weaknesses in Slaughterhouse Hygiene Standards

A European Union audit of eastern Europe slaughterhouses found weaknesses in the application of hygiene standard rules, the European Cpurt of Auditors said.

The audit included visits to slaughterhouses in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovenia, the court said today in an online statement. Those countries received payments through a 117 million euro ($152 million) program started in 2004 to bring processing facilities in new member countries up to standards required for the rest of the bloc, it said.

“These weaknesses do not call into question the overall design of the systems, but demonstrate the need for increased rigor in the application of checks at all levels to mitigate risks and avoid potentially serious problems to food safety,” the EU said in the statement.

To contact the reporter on this story: Whitney McFerron in London at wmcferron1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Claudia Carpenter at ccarpenter2@bloomberg.net.