Out of the frying pan…

According to the BBC monitoring service, two Czech farmers have come up with an ingenious way to get around EU dairy hygiene regulations which they say are threatening their livelihood.

Petr Hajek and Pavel Stepanek from the southern Bohemia region used to make a good living from sales of their goats' cheese, made to an old family recipe but, since accession, they have been unable to meet EU standards and are prevented from selling their cheese for human consumption.

Unable to afford the £80,000 to meet the legal standards Hajek has now decided to market his cheese as animal feed.

To avoid misunderstanding, he has posted a large notice on his dairy door stating "Goats' cheese. Home-made to a family recipe handed down through six generations. Completely in violation of EU regulations, should be used as animal food. Tested on humans."

So far he says he has had no complaints from his customers. However, Mr Hajek may find that his troubles are not over. In order to market animal feed, he has to comply with the following legislation:

Council Directive 70/524/EEC (OJ No. L270, 14.12.70, p.1 (OJ/SE Vol. 18, p.4) concerning additives in feeding stuffs (subject to exceptions), as amended or supplemented by –

Commission Directive 91/248/EEC (OJ No. L124, 18.5.91, p.1).
Commission Directive 91/249/EEC (OJ No. L124, 18.5.91, p.43).
Commission Directive 91/336/EEC (OJ No. L185, 11.7.91, p.31).
Commission Directive 91/508/EEC (OJ No. L271, 27.9.91, p.67).
Commission Directive 92/64/EEC (OJ No. L221, 6.8.92, p.51).
Commission Directive 92/113/EEC (OJ No. L16, 25.1.93, p.2).
Commission Directive 93/27/EEC (OJ No. L179, 22.7.93, p.5).
Commission Directive 93/55/EEC (OJ No. L206, 18.8.93, p.11).
Council Directive 93/114/EC (OJ No. L334, 31.12.93, p.24).
Commission Directive 94/17/EC (OJ No. L105, 26.4.94, p.19).
Commission Directive 94/41/EC (OJ No. L209, 12.8.94, p.18).
Council Directive 95/69/EC (OJ No. L332, 30.12.95, p.15).
Commission Directive 96/7/EC (OJ No. L51, 1.3.96 p.45).
Council Directive 96/25/EC (OJ No. L125, 23.5.96, p.35).
Council Directive 96/51/EC (OJ No. L235, 17.9.96, p.39).
Commission Directive 97/72/EC (OJ No. L351, 23.12.97, p.55).
Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2316/98 (OJ No. L289, 28.10.98, p.4).
Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2785/98 (OJ No. L347, 23.12.98, p.21).
Council Directive 1999/20/EC (OJ No. L80, 25.3.1999, p.20.)
Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1594/1999 (OJ No. L188, 21.7.1999, p.35).
Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2439/1999 (OJ No. L297, 18.11.1999, p.8).
Commission Regulation (EC) No. 654/2000 (OJ No. L79, 30.3.2000, p.26).
Commission Regulation (EC) No. 739/2000 (OJ No. L87, 8.4.2000, p.14).
Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1353/2000 (OJ No. L155, 28.6.2000, p.15).

Council Directive 79/373/EEC (OJ No. L86, 6.4.79, p.30) on the marketing of compound feeding stuffs, as amended or supplemented by -

Commission Directive 80/509/EEC (OJ No. L126, 21.5.80, p.9).
Commission Directive 80/511/EEC (OJ No. L126, 21.5.80, p.14).
Commission Directive 80/695/EEC (OJ No. L188, 22.7.80, p.23).
Commission Directive 82/475/EEC (OJ No. L213, 21.7.82, p.27).
Commission Directive 82/957/EEC (OJ No. L386, 31.12.82, p.42).
Council Regulation 85/3768/EEC (OJ No. L362, 31.12.85, p.8).
Commission Directive 86/174/EEC (OJ No. L130, 16.5.86, p.53).
Council Directive 86/354/EEC (OJ No. L212, 2.8.86, p.27).
Commission Directive 87/235/EEC (OJ No. L102, 14.4.87, p.34).
Council Directive 90/44/EEC (OJ No. L27, 31.1.90, p.35).
Commission Directive 91/334/EEC (OJ No. L184, 10.7.91, p.27).
Commission Directive 91/357/EEC (OJ No. L193, 17.7.91, p.34).
Commission Decision 91/516/EEC (OJ No. L281, 9.10.91, p.23).
Commission Directive 92/87/EEC (OJ No. L319, 4.11.92, p.19).
Commission Decision 92/508/EEC (OJ No. L312, 29.10.92, p.36).
Council Directive 93/74/EEC (OJ No. L237, 22.9.93, p.23).
Commission Directive 94/39/EC (OJ No. L207, 10.8.94, p.20).
Commission Directive 95/9/EC (OJ No. L91, 22.4.95, p.35).
Commission Directive 95/10/EC (OJ No. L91, 22.4.95, p.39).
Council Directive 95/69/EC (OJ No. L332, 30.12.95, p.15).
Commission Decision 95/274/EC (OJ No. L167, 18.7.95, p.24).
Council Directive 96/24/EC (OJ No. L125, 23.5.96, p.33).
Council Directive 96/25/EC (OJ No. L125, 23.5.96, p.35).
Commission Directive 97/47/EC (OJ No. L211, 5.8.97, p.45).
Commission Directive 98/67/EC (OJ No. L261, 24.9.98, p.10).
Commission Directive 98/87/EC (OJ No. L318, 27.11.98, p.43).
Commission Directive 1999/78/EC (OJ No. L209, 7.8.1999, p.22);

Council Directive 82/471/EEC (OJ No. L213, 21.7.82, p.8) concerning certain products used in animal nutrition, as amended by -

Commission Directive 85/509/EEC (OJ No. L314, 23.11.85, p.25).
Council Regulation 85/3768/EEC (OJ No. L362, 31.12.85, p.8).
Commission Directive 86/530/EEC (OJ No. L312, 7.11.86, p.39).
Commission Directive 88/485/EEC (OJ No. L239, 30.8.88, p.36).
Commission Directive 89/520/EEC (OJ No. L270, 19.9.89, p.13).
Commission Directive 90/439/EEC (OJ No. L227, 21.8.90, p.33).
Commission Directive 93/26/EEC (OJ No. L179, 22.7.93, p.2).
Commission Directive 93/56/EEC (OJ No. L206, 18.8.93, p.13).
Commission Directive 95/33/EC (OJ No. L167, 18.7.95, p.17).
Council Directive 95/69/EC (OJ No. L332, 30.12.95, p.15).
Council Directive 96/25/EC (OJ No. L125, 23.5.96, p.35).
Commission Directive 98/67/EC (OJ No. L261, 24.9.98, p.10).
Council Directive 1999/20/EC (OJ No. L80, 25.3.1999, p.20);

Council Directive 96/25/EC (OJ No. L125, 23.5.96. p.35) on the circulation of feed materials, amending Directives 70/524/EEC, 74/63/EEC, 82/471/EEC and repealing Directive 77/101/EEC, as amended by Commission Directive 98/67/EC (OJ No. L261, 24.4.98, p.10);

Council Directive 1999/29/EC (OJ No. L115, 4.5.1999, p.32) on undesirable substances and products in animal nutrition; and

Commission Directive 1999/79/EC (OJ No. L209, 7.8.1999, p.23) amending the third Commission Directive 72/199/EEC of 27 April 1972 establishing Community methods of analysis for the official control of feedingstuffs.

The words "frying pan" and "fire" come to mind.