Royal Decree 324/2000 of 3 March establishing basic rules for the management of pig holdings has been dictated with the aim of igniting the future growth of this sector, by setting up a new framework for Unit standards in the field of management, extending and perfecting existing provisions, in a new regulation that will ensure a comprehensive view of the sector.

In relation to various precepts of the aforementioned Royal Decree, the Government of the Nation has been required of incompetence by the governing bodies of the Autonomous Communities of Aragon, Catalonia and Extremadura, and in the Council of Ministers adopted on 2 June 2000, in response to the above requirements, it was decided to accept them in part and, consequently, the necessary modifications of the Royal Decree have to be carried out in compliance with the Agreements.

The Autonomous Communities and the representative entities of the sector concerned have been consulted.

In its virtue, on the proposal of the Ministers of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Environment, in agreement with the Council of State, and after deliberation by the Council of Ministers at its meeting on 29 December 2000,

D I S P O N G O:

Single item. Amendment of Royal Decree 324/2000 of 3 March.

Royal Decree 324/2000 of 3 March establishing basic rules for the management of pig holdings is amended as follows:

1. Article 3 is amended as follows:

(a) Paragraph B (3) is worded as follows:

" 3. Group 3. Holdings with a capacity between the upper limit of the previous group and up to 720 UGM. '

(b) The first subparagraph of paragraph 5 (5) is worded as follows:

" 5. The Autonomous Communities may modulate the maximum capacity provided for in paragraph 3, depending on the characteristics of the areas in which the holdings are located, the production circumstances or other conditions which may be determined by the competent body of those bodies, without in any event the capacity of more than 20 per 100 to be increased. '

2. Article 5 is amended as follows:

(a) The last subparagraph of paragraph (g) (g) of paragraph 2 (A) is replaced by the following:

" In no case shall the maximum total capacity of the core be greater than the limit of 720 UGM, without prejudice to the possibility of its extension up to a maximum of 20 per 100, as provided for in Article 3 (B) (5). For the authorization of these production cores, it is essential that the holdings of these cores be included in an ADS. "

(b) Paragraph 2 (b) (c) of paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:

"(c) Dispose of an effective system in its access for the disinfection of the wheels of vehicles entering or leaving the holding, as well as an appropriate system for the disinfection of the rest of the vehicle."

(c) Paragraphs 1 and 2 (f) of paragraph 2 (f) of paragraph 2 are replaced by the following:

" 1.o Only the cleaning and handling tools and the staff dressing room which are appropriate shall be used exclusively in them, or the necessary sanitary sanitary measures shall be available for the staff to carry out work in them and the tools used in them cannot transmit diseases.

2.o Orders or any other means of efficiency similar to the entry of the premises, ships or parks that prevent the transmission of diseases. "

(d) Paragraph 2 (g) (g) of paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:

" g) On holdings an effective system of control or registration of visits shall be available in

the one to be recorded for all those that are produced and which also allows the identification of the vehicles entering or leaving the holding. "

3. Article 7 is amended as follows:

Paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:

" The Register of pig holdings, managed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, is structured in different sections according to the categories referred to in Article 3, and in addition to the holdings for self-consumption and small holdings.

This Register includes the data on the records of holdings managed by the competent bodies of the Autonomous Communities. "

Paragraph 6 is replaced by the following:

" 6. The cessation or suspension of the operation of the holding for a period of more than one year shall be the cause of the ineffectiveness of the registration, with the autonomy of the Autonomous Communities to determine the way in which it is ineffeccated in the Registration. However, for justified reasons and at the request of the person concerned, the Autonomous Communities may authorise the suspension of the activity of the holding for a period not exceeding three years, without incurring ineffectiveness of the registration. "

4. Article 8 is amended as follows:

The second paragraph of paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:

" In order to be registered in the Register, the new holdings must comply, in each case, with the legislation applicable to the corresponding municipality that affects this activity and credit the fulfilment of the requirements established in this Royal Decree. "

In the first paragraph of paragraph 2, the expression "disposing of a municipal activity license" is replaced by the following:

"complying with the legislation applicable to the relevant municipality affecting that activity."

5. The first provision is amended as follows:

The first paragraph of paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:

" 1. The Government, by means of a Royal Decree, on a joint proposal from the Ministers for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Environment, heard from the Autonomous Communities, the agricultural professional organisations, the producer sector and, where appropriate, other social and economic organisations, shall establish within a maximum period of ten months from the entry into force of this Royal Decree, the following technical requirements: "

Single additional disposition. Competence title.

The sole article of this Royal Decree will have the character of state basic regulations in accordance with the provisions of Article 149.1.13.a of the Constitution that attributes to the State the competence on the basis and the coordination of the general planning of economic activity; in Article 149.1.16.a, which confers exclusive competence on the State on the bases and general coordination of health, and Article 149.1.23.a, which attributes the State to competition to issue basic legislation on environmental protection.

Single end disposition. Entry into force.

This Royal Decree shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the "Official Gazette of the State".

Given in Madrid on December 29, 2000.

JOHN CARLOS R.

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidency, MARIANO RAJOY BREY