[ The 'new cow' slaughtered, an introduction to the new Civil Code regulations concerning hidden flaws in in animals]

The obligation to guarantee the absence of hidden flaws has been omitted from the New Civil Code, which became law in 1992. It has been incorporated in the obligation to fulfil all aspects of the sales agreement. Conformity is the central theme of the new Civil Code: the delivered goods must fulfil the expectations of the purchaser. If this is not the case, then one can speak of default. The purchaser no longer has to take out a summons against the vendor within six weeks; instead, under the terms of the new Civil Code, the purchaser should inform the vendor at short notice on which of his/her entitled rights he/she will base an appeal. In the new civil Code, the possibility of demanding extra compensation ans other aspects of the sale, such as the transfer of risk, have been changed. The special emphasis on consumer purchase is new. However, all things considered, the veterinarian will find that the new regulations will not lead to substantial changes in practice. The closing sentence of the customary declaration will have to be changed to satisfy the new regulations.