95

A.—2

Law concerning Trade in and Importation and Exportation of Agricultural Products. (Passed in the Rigsdag, the 26th March, 1906.) 0 Section 1. Agricultural produce of animal origin and suitable for human food, which is imported from foreign countries and the Danish West Indian Islands to be sold or re-exported, must, on importation into this country, be provided on the packing, or, if not packed, on the article itself, with distinct marks or indications which state whether the goods are of foreign origin or come from the Danish West Indian Islands. Further regulations as to the marking shall be fixed by the Minister of Agriculture. In case the goods should arrive without having been marked in accordance with the rules prescribed by the Minister of Agriculture the receiver shall have the right to have the marks put on either before the goods are delivered to him by the Custom authorities or under proper control in the receiver's store-room, so as to free him from responsibility. The above regulations shall not apply as far as Danish agricultural products are concerned which are returned from foreign countries if the Danish origin of the goods is proved to the Custom authorities. As agricultural products of animal origin suitable for human food dealt with in this law shall be included butter, cheese, eggs, lard, tallow, and honey, and, further, meat and meat-products from horses, cattle, sheep, swine, and poultry. Section 2. Foreign agricultural products of the species mentioned in the present law must, when sold in this country or when re-exported, be provided with the marks or indications prescribed in section 1 on the packing, or if not packed on the article itself, and neither the outer nor the inner packing or the article itself must be marked in such a way that the marking may be considered an indication that the goods are of Danish origin. At exportation of foreign agricultural products of the above-mentioned species it shall be forbidden on the packing or on the article itself to place Danish names of places in any connection whatever. As regards foreign butter in hermetically closed tins the Minister of Agriculture is authorized to prescribe special rules for the marking. Section 3. On all premises where goods as mentioned in section 1 imported from foreign countries are sold, with the exception of cheese and honey, there shall in a place conspicuous for the purchaser be exhibited a signboard with a distinct indication stating this fact, in accordance with further directions of the Minister of Agriculture. Section 4. It shall be forbidden in this country to sell mixtures of Danish and foreign lard, unless the article is provided with a distinct mark which indicates that it is a mixture of this kind. Section 5. By Royal decree a joint mark valid for the whole country shall be adopted, and this mark shall, in the manner prescribed in the same decree, be affixed to all packing for butter which is manufactured in this country from pasteurized cream. The packing on all Danish butter which is exported to foreign countries must be provided with this mark. However, this rule shall not apply as regards Danish butter in hermetically closed tins which are exported to foreign countries when these tins are provided with a mark which indicates that the article is Danish. It may further by Royal decree be prescribed that the joint mark must be placed on the butter itself in accordance with rules prescribed in the decree. Foreign butter must neither be imported, exported, or dealt with in transit, or offered for sale in a packing, which is provided with the official joint mark, or a mark which might be mistaken for it. This regulation shall, however, not prevent Danish butter from being returned from a foreign place provided the Danish origin of the butter is proved to the Custom authorities. A joint mark may in the same way by Royal decree be adopted for all slightly salted pork of Danish origin which is exported from this country. The further rules for this shall be prescribed in the decree. It is forbidden, without permission from the Minister of Agriculture, to manufacture in this country, or to import to this country, reproductions or multiplications of the prescribed joint marks, and the stamps, printing-blocks, &c, necessary for their production. Section'S. Dealers, wholesalers and retailers, and exporters of foreign butter are required to keep the goods in the original packing (section 1). All the butter put up for sale in retail must, in addition, be provided with a signboard conspicuous to the buyer representing the mark prescribed by sections 1 and 5 respectively. If foreign butter is not delivered to the purchasers in the original packing the wrapper which is put directly round the butter must be distinctly marked " Foreign butter," as per furtheT orders issued by the Minister of Agriculture. Section 7. Importers of and dealers in the goods mentioned in section 1 for sale in this country, wholesalers, retailers, and exporters of foreign butter, must give notice hereof in writing to the police, who shall keep a register of the dealers who have given such notice. The same shall also apply to everybody who in this country manufactures butter from pasteurized cream, and to everybody who exports Danish butter, or sells such butter for further sale. The said importers, dealers, producers and exporters shall, in addition, be liable to keep a book, authorized by the police, containing particulars as regards their trade as described above, and in accordance with, the further orders by the Minister of Agriculture.