Butchery Operation

Last Update on 13/10/2020

Operating a Butchery and Retailing Meat

General Information

In order to operate a butchery and sell meat in the Republic of Cyprus, one needs to register to Butchery’s Registry at the Veterinary Services of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment.

The term “Meat” refers to all the parts of the animal that are suitable for human consumption and the definition includes also edible by-products of meat.

In parallel, the term “butchery” refers to the procedure/installation/premise in which meat, edible by-products of meat, meat productions and cold meat intended for human consumption are exposed to retail sale. The definition also includes the specially designed place, inside supermarkets and groceries, which is created for the same purpose.

Every natural or legal person is eligible to register to the Butchery’s Registry provided that the Veterinary Services is satisfied that the the requirements of Regulations (ΕΚ) 852/2004, Annex ΙΙ, chapter. Ι, II, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, XII as well as the Regulations concerning the hygienic production of foods of animal origin and their placement in the market (operation of butcheries) of 2009, annex II and III are fulfilled.

The application for registering a butchery can be submitted either through the PSC Cyprus or by contacting directly the competent authority:

Veterinary Services
Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment
1417 Nicosia
Tel.: +357 22805208
Fax: +357 22805139
E-mail: director@vs.moa.gov.cy
Website: http://www.moa.gov.cy/moa/vs

  1. The application should be accompanied by the following documents:

    • copy of the manual with the procedures based on the HACCP principles, which will be implemented at the butchery;
    • copy of butchery’s architectural plan in which the segregation of the shop’s place will be indicated depending on the procedures that will take place. Also it should indicate the provision of appliances that will be used to the handling of meat and the placement of facilitations for the washing of hands and tools;
    • the amount of €80 as a fee for the examination of the application and which includes also the registration fee.

The application (examination) fee is €80 and is payable by and is payable either by cash or cheque; registration fee is included.

Inspections are carried out at the butcheries by the Veterinary Officer/Inspectors of the District Veterinary Offices mainly for two reasons: a) for the issue of operational license and b) checking whether or not the relative Legislation is implemented.

For the issuance of operation license, after the submission of the application for butchery registration, the responsible authority carries out an investigation of the premises for confirming that the relative law requirements are being fulfilled.

The inspector who carries out the inspection after he/she judges that the result of the inspection is satisfactory he/she recommends to the Director of the Veterinary Services to proceed with the registration of the butchery. Given that the butchery is registered in the Registry of Butcheries, it receives a registration number and a relative certificate of its registration is issued;

The applicant is informed regarding the authorization decision within three weeks from the date that the application form and supporting documents were duly submitted.

The license is issued once and does not expire.

Administrative Action Against a Competent Authority’s Decision

Any person may file an Administrative Action at the Administrative court against a decision, act or omission of any competent authority or body.

Pursuant to Article 146 of the Constitution, an Administrative Action may be lodged within 75 days from the date of the decision or act or omission or from the day when such decision or act or omission was notified to the applicant.

The Administrative Court acts as a cassation Court and not as a substantive Court. In other words, the Administrative Court may:
I. Dismiss the Administrative Action
II. Annul wholly or partially the contested decision or act
III. Compel the relevant authority or body to take a certain action

After a decision is annulled, the authority and/or public body must reverse things back to the state prior to when the concerned decision and/or act was executed and reexamine.

Appeal Information

An Appeal may be filed against the Administrative Court’s first-instance decision within a period of 42 days from the date such a decision was given.

At the Supreme Court (Court of Appeal Section) hearing, the contested issue of the appeal remains the legality of the decision or act already adjudicated. However, such a revision of the legality of the decision or act is solely examined on the matters and the extent that the two parties have limited the reasons in the relevant notice of appeal.

The decision adopted by the Supreme Court is considered final in relation to the matter that has been judged.

  • The Hygienic Production of Foods of Animal Origin and their Placement on the Market (Operation of Butcheries) of 2009 (in the “Applications & Documents”)

Registered butcheries are obliged to implement procedures based on the HACCP principles. Also, they must comply with the terms of high specifications concerning the cleanness, personnel hygiene, building installations, equipment and tools used and in general comply with the related Regulations.

Whoever is not satisfied with decision that it has been taken based on the article 15 (1) of the Regulations concerning “The Hygienic Production of Foods of Animal Origin and their Placement on the Market (Operation of Butcheries) of 2009” , can submit an objection;