Correction of EU Regulation on Animal By-Products: What Changes for Slaughterhouses and Livestock Farmers

Key data

If your company handles animal carcasses, slaughterhouse waste or animal products withdrawn from the market, this regulatory correction directly affects you. The European Union published on 23 October 2026 a correction to Regulation (EC) No. 1069/2009, the central framework regulating animal by-products throughout the EU. It is not a fundamental reform, but corrections of material errors can modify technical or procedural requirements that affect your daily operations.

The key for any operator in the sector is to know whether any of the specific amendments change an obligation you are already complying with, or introduce a nuance that you have not applied until now. Ignoring it is not an option: non-compliance with this regulation can result in administrative sanctions and activity restrictions.

What does this regulation establish?

Regulation (EC) No. 1069/2009 is the European standard that sets health rules for all animal by-products not intended for human consumption. This correction rectifies material errors detected in the original text, published in OJ L 300 of 14 November 2009.

The original regulation, and therefore this correction, regulates the following activities on animal by-products:

• Collection and transport
• Storage
• Handling
• Processing
• Use and disposal

To organize the obligations, the regulation classifies by-products into three categories according to their level of health risk:

The corrections published on 23 October 2026 affect technical or procedural requirements within this framework. Since this is a correction of material errors, operators must identify exactly which articles or annexes have been amended and verify whether their internal procedures remain compliant.

Economic and operational impact

Corrections of material errors in European regulations do not usually imply new costs in themselves, but they can generate indirect costs if they require updating procedures, internal documentation or control protocols. The main impact vectors are:

• Review of operational procedures: If the correction affects handling, transport or processing requirements, operators must update their internal manuals and records.
• Staff training: Any change in technical requirements may require updating the training of teams responsible for by-product management.
• Audits and official controls: Competent authorities may verify compliance with the corrected version of the regulation in their inspections. A procedure based on the previous text could be considered non-compliant.
• Risk of sanctions: Non-compliance with Regulation (EC) 1069/2009 may result in administrative sanctions and activity restrictions, as established by the regulation itself.

The actual economic impact will depend on the specific scope of the corrections published. Therefore, the priority action is to review the official text published in the EU Official Journal and compare it with the procedures in force in your company.

Who does it affect?

• Livestock companies: That generate animal carcasses or by-products in their facilities.
• Slaughterhouses: That produce slaughter waste classified in the three categories of the regulation.
• Animal waste managers: Companies authorized to collect, transport, store or process animal by-products.
• Animal by-products sector: Industries that process by-products into meals, fats, biogas, compost or other derived products.
• Food companies: That withdraw animal products from the market and must manage them in accordance with the regulation.
• Veterinarians and animal health managers: That supervise or certify by-product management in their organizations.

Practical example

A medium-sized pork slaughterhouse generates daily Category 2 by-products (seized offal, unsuitable blood) and Category 3 by-products (meat trimmings suitable but not intended for consumption). Its management protocol—collection, labeling, storage and delivery to an authorized manager—is documented in accordance with Regulation (EC) 1069/2009 in its previous version.

Following the publication of this correction on 23 October 2026, the slaughterhouse's quality manager must:

1. Download the text of the correction from the EU Official Journal.
2. Identify which articles or annexes have been corrected.
3. Compare those points with documented internal procedures.
4. If there is a discrepancy, update the procedure and record the change before the next official inspection.

If it does not conduct this review and an inspection detects that the slaughterhouse operates in accordance with an already corrected text, it could face a formal warning or, in cases of material non-compliance, administrative sanctions and activity restrictions.

What should companies do now?

1. Download and read the official text of the correction: Access the EU Official Journal (reference OJ:L_202690917, published 23/10/2026) and identify exactly which articles or annexes of Regulation (EC) 1069/2009 have been corrected.
2. Map the corrections against your internal procedures: Compare the corrected points with your by-product management manuals, transport, storage and processing protocols.
3. Update documentation if there are changes: If any correction affects your operations, update written procedures, records and work instructions before the next official inspection.
4. Inform and train the personnel involved: Communicate the changes to those responsible for quality, animal health and logistics so they operate in accordance with the corrected text.
5. Consult with your legal advisor or official veterinarian: If you have doubts about the scope of the corrections in your specific activity, request a professional review to avoid compliance risks.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/./legal-content/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L_202690917