Legislative Decree No. 80 implementing Directives 97/78/EC and 97/79/EC on the organization of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third countries.

With a view to preventing the spread of contagious or infectious animal diseases, this Legislative Decree regulates the veterinary checks to be carried out on certain products entering the Italian territory from third countries. Products of animal origin listed in the Annexes to Legislative Decree No. 28 of 1993 (including by-products of animal origin not covered by Annex II to the Treaty) and plant products shall be introduced into one of the territories listed in Annex I to this Legislative Decree via a border inspection post, in order to be subjected to the veterinary checks required. Products listed in article 16 are exempted from said veterinary checks.
Consignments which have been introduced without having been presented for the veterinary checks required shall be seized by the official veterinarian, who shall decide either to destroy them or to redispatch them. In case of detection of a threaten to animal or public health, the official veterinarian shall: a) seize and destroy the consignment concerned; b) inform the other border inspection posts and the Ministry of Health. Article 28 establishes penalties.
Articles 18-34 as well as article 39 of Legislative Decree No. 28 of 30 January 1993 are repealed.