1 
 EN 
ANNEX I  
Specimen referred to in Article 4(1), first subparagraph, point (a)  
  European Union marketing standard for 
fresh fruit and vegetables  and bananas  
No (of the approved trader)  
(Member State)  
 
  
 
2 
 ANNEX II  
Certificate of exemption from verification of compliance with marketing standards for 
bananas  referred to in Article 4(1), first subparagraph, point (b), and Article 6(1), first 
subparagraph, point (a)  
Approved t rader exempted (name, company, address) :  
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Registration number issued by the competent inspection department or body : .......……………………………….  
Competent department or body ( name, address) :  
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  
Date of issue of certificate : ................................................ ………………………………………………………….  
Period of validity of certificate :  ………………………………………………………………………………… …. 
Signature and/or official stamp of th e competent department or body : ……………………………………………   
3 
 ANNEX II I 
Certificate of conformity referred to in Article 7(1) and Article 10(2) and (3) for the 
products required to conform to the European Union marketing standards  
1. Trader  Certificat e of conformity with the European Union 
marketing standards applicable to fresh fruit and 
vegetables  and bananas  
No ……………….  
(This certificate is exclusively for the use of inspection 
bodies)  
2. Packer identified on packaging (if other than trader)  3. Inspection body  
4. Place of inspection/ 
country of origin (1) 
 5. Region or country of 
destination  
6. Identifier of means of transport  7.  
□ internal  
□ import  
□ export  
(For bananas, it refers to c heck s at destination where 
appropriate ) 
8. Packages (number and 
type)  
- 
- 9. Type of product 
(variety if the standard 
specifies)  10. Quality class  11. Total net weight in kg  
12. The consignment referred to above conforms, at the issue time, with the European Union marketing 
standards in force.  
 
…………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………  
Custom office foreseen……………………………  Place and date of issue  
 
Valid until (date):………………………………………………………………………………………………  
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..  
Signatory (name in block letters):  
 
Signature ………………………………………….  Seal of the competent authority  
13. Observations  
 
 
                                                           
1 Where the goods are re -exported, indicate the origin in box 9 .    
4 
 ANNEX IV 
Third countries where the conformity checks have been approved in accordance with 
Article 9 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/xxxx and the products concerned  referred 
to in  Article 8 of this Regulation   
Country  
 Products  
 
Switzerland  
 Fresh fruit and vegetables  
 
Morocco  
 Fresh fruit and vegetables  
 
South Africa  
 Fresh fruit and vegetables  
 
Israel (1) 
 Fresh fruit and vegetables  
 
India  
 Fresh fruit and vegetables  
 
New Zealand  
 Apples, pears and kiwi fruit  
 
Senegal  
 Fresh fruit and vegetables  
 
Kenya  
 Fresh fruit and vegetables  
 
Türkiye  Fresh fruit and vegetables  
 
United Kingdom:  
 
— Great Britain  
 
— Northern Ireland (2) 
 Fresh fruit and vegetables  
(1)   The Commission’s approval is given to fruit and vegetables originating within the State of Israel, excluding 
the territories under Israeli administration since June 1967, namely the Golan Heights, the Gaza Strip, East 
Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank.  
 
(2)   In accordance with Article 6(3) and Article 7(1) of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom 
of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community 
and Article 5(4) and Article  13(1) of the  Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland to that Agreement in conjunction 
with Annex 2 to that Protocol, for the purposes of this Regulation references to Member States include the 
United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland. However, in accordance with Art icle 7(3) of that Protocol, in 
respect of the recognition in one Member State of technical regulations, assessments, registrations, certificates, 
approvals and authorisations issued or carried out by the authorities of another Member State, or by a body 
established in another Member State, references to Member States in provisions of Union law made applicable 
by that Protocol are not to be read as including the United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland as regards 
technical regulations, assessments, regi strations, certificates, approvals and authorisations issued or carried out 
by the authorities of the United Kingdom or by bodies established in the United Kingdom.  
   
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 ANNEX V 
Methods of inspection referred to in Article 10(1)  
The following methods of inspection are based on the provisions of the guide for the implementation of quality 
control of fresh fruit and vegetables adopted by the OECD Scheme for the Application of International Standards 
for Fruit and Vegetables.  
1.   DEFINITIONS  
1.1.    Package  
Individually packaged part of a lot, including contents. The packaging is conceived so as to facilitate handling 
and transport of a number of sales packages or of products loose or arranged, in order to prevent damage by 
physical handling and transport. T he package may constitute a sales package. Road, rail, ship and air containers 
are not considered as packages.  
1.2.    Sales package  
Individually packaged part of a lot, including contents. The packaging of sales packages is conceived so as to 
constitute a  sales unit to the final user or consumer at the point of purchase.  
1.3.    Pre-packages  
Pre-packages are sales packages such as the packaging enclosing the foodstuff completely or only partially, but 
in such a way that the contents cannot be altered witho ut opening or changing the packaging. Protective films 
covering single produce are not considered as a pre -package.  
1.4.    Consignment  
Quantity of produce to be sold by a given trader found at the time of inspection and defined by a document. A 
consignmen t may consist of one or several types of produce; it may contain one or several lots of fresh, dry or 
dried fruit and vegetables.  
1.5.    Lot 
Quantity of produce which, at the time of inspection at one place, has similar characteristics with regard to:  
— packer and/or dispatcher,  
— country of origin,  
— nature of produce,  
— class of produce,  
— size (if the produce is graded according to size),  
— variety or commercial type (according to the relevant provisions of the standard),  
— type of packaging and present ation.  
However, if during the conformity check of consignments as defined in point 1.4 it is difficult to distinguish 
between different lots and/or presentation of individual lots is not possible, all lots of a specific consignment 
may be treated as one lot if they are similar in regard to type of produce, dispatcher, country of origin, class and 
variety or commercial type, if this is provided for in the relevant marketing standard.  
1.6.    Sampling  
Collective samples taken temporarily from a lot during c onformity check.  
1.7.    Primary sample   
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 Package taken at random from the lot, in case of packed produce or, in case of bulk produce (direct loading into 
a transport vehicle or compartment thereof), a quantity taken at random from a point in the lot.  
1.8.    Bulk sample  
Several primary samples supposed to be representative for the lot so that the total quantity is sufficient to allow 
the assessment of the lot with regard to all criteria.  
1.9.    Secondary sample  
An equal quantity of produce taken at random f rom the primary sample.  
In the case of packed nuts, the secondary sample shall weigh between 300 g and 1 kg. If the primary sample is 
made up of packages containing sales packages, the secondary sample shall be one or more sales packages that 
in aggregate are at least 300 g.  
In the case of other packed produce, the secondary sample shall comprise of 30 units, in case the net weight of 
the package is 25 kg or less and the package does not contain any sales packages. In certain cases this means that 
the whole  content of the package has to be checked, if the primary sample contains not more than 30 units.  
1.10.     Composite sample (dry and dried produce only)  
A composite sample is a mix, weighing at least 3 kg, of all the secondary samples taken from the bulk sample. 
Produce in the composite sample shall be evenly mixed.  
1.11.     Reduced sample  
Quantity of produce taken at random from the bulk or composite sample having a size which is restricted to the 
minimum quantity necessary but sufficient to allow the ass essment of certain individual criteria.  
If the inspection method would destroy the produce, the size of the reduced sample shall not exceed 10 % of the 
bulk sample or, in the case of nuts in shell, 100 nuts taken from the composite sample. In the case of s mall dry or 
dried products (i.e. 100 g include more than 100 units) the reduced sample shall not exceed 300 g.  
For the assessment of criteria on the degree of the development and/or ripeness, the constitution of the sampling 
shall be done according to the objective methods described in the Guidance on Objective Tests to Determine 
Quality of Fruit and Vegetables and Dry and Dried Produce.  
Several reduced samples may be taken from a bulk or composite sample in order to check the conformity of the 
lot against different criteria.  
2.   IMPLEMENTATION OF CONFORMITY CHECK  
2.1.    General remark  
A conformity check shall be made by assessing samples taken at random from different points in the lot to be 
controlled. It is based on the principle of presumption that the  quality of the samples is representative of the 
quality of the lot.  
2.2.    Place of control  
A conformity check may be carried out during packing operation, at the point of dispatch, during transport, at the 
point of reception, at whole sale and retail level.  
In cases where the inspection body does not carry out the conformity check in their own premises, the holder 
shall provide facilities enabling the conduct of a conformity check.   
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 2.3.    Identification of lots and/or getting a general impression of t he consignment  
The identification of lots shall be carried out on the basis of their marking or other criteria, such as the 
indications laid down in Directive 2011/91/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council2. In the case of 
consignments which are made up of several lots it is necessary for the inspector to get a general impression of 
the consignment with the aid of accompanying documents or declarations concerning the consignments. The 
inspector shall then determine how far the lots presented compl y with the information in these documents.  
If the produce is to be or has been loaded onto a means of transport, the registration number of the latter shall be 
used for identification of the consignment.  
2.4.    Presentation of produce  
The inspector shall decide which packages are to be checked. The presentation shall be made by the operator and 
shall include the presentation of the bulk sample as well as the supply of all information necessary for the 
identification of the consignment or lot.  
If reduced or  secondary samples are required, these shall be identified by the inspector from the bulk sample.  
2.5.    Physical check  
—  
Assessment of packaging and presentation:  
The packaging, including the material used within the package, shall be tested for suitabi lity and cleanness 
according to the provisions of the relevant marketing standard. This shall be done on the basis of primary 
samples, in case of packed produce and in all other cases on the basis of the transport vehicle. If only certain 
types of packagin g or presentation are permitted, the inspector shall check whether these are being used.  
—  
Verification of marking:  
The inspector shall check whether the produce is marked according to the relevant marketing standard. This shall 
include a check on the acc uracy of marking and/or the extent of any amendments required.  
In case of packed produce, this check shall be carried out on the basis of the primary samples, in all other cases 
on the basis of the documents attached to the pallet or the transport vehicle.  
Fruit and vegetables individually wrapped in plastic shall not be considered as pre -packed foodstuff within the 
meaning of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council3 and shall not  
necessarily need to be marked in accordance with the marketing standards. In such cases, the plastic wrapping 
may be considered as a simple protection for fragile products.  
—  
Verification of conformity of the produce:  
The inspector shall determine the si ze of the bulk sample in such way as to be able to assess the lot. The 
inspector selects at random the packages to be inspected or in the case of bulk produce the points of the lot from 
which individual samples shall be taken.  
Care shall be taken to ensure  that the removal of samples does not adversely affect the quality of the produce.  
Damaged packages shall not be used as part of the bulk sample. They shall be set aside and may, if necessary, be 
subject to a separate examination and report.  
The bulk sample shall comprise the following minimum quantities whenever a lot is declared unsatisfactory or 
the risk of a produce not conforming to the marketing standard has to be examined:  
 
                                                           
2 Directive 2011/91/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on indications or 
marks identifying the lot to which a  foodstuff belongs  (OJ L 334, 16.12.2011, p. 1 ). 
3 Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the 
provision of food information to consumers, amending Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006 and (EC) No 1925/2006  
of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Commission Directive 87/250/EEC, Council 
Directive 90/496/EEC, Commission Directive 1999/10/EC, Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament 
and of the Council, Commission Directives 2002/67/ EC and 2008/5/EC and Commission Regulation (EC) No 
608/2004 (OJ L 304, 22.11.2011, p. 18).   
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 Packed produce  
Number of packages in the lot  Number of package s to be taken (primary samples)  
Up to 100  5 
From 101 to 300  7 
From 301 to 500  9 
From 501 to 1 000  10 
More than 1 000  15 (minimum)  
 
 
Produce in bulk  
(direct loading into a transport vehicle or compartment thereof)  
Quantity of lot in kg or number 
of bundles in the lot  Quantity of primary samples in kg or number of 
bundles  
Up to 200  10 
From 201 to 500  20 
From 501 to 1 000  30 
From 1 001 to 5 000  60 
More than 5 000  100 (minimum)  
In the case of bulky fruit and vegetables (over 2 kg per unit), the primary samples shall be made up of at least 
five units. In the case of lots comprising fewer than 5 packages or weighing less than 10 kg, the check shall 
cover the entire lot.  
If the inspector discovers, after an inspection, that a decision cannot be reached, ano ther physical check shall be 
undertaken and the overall result reported as an average of the two checks.  
 
2.6.    Control of produce  
In case of packed produce, the primary samples shall be used to check the general appearance of the produce, the 
presentation, the cleanliness of the packages and the labelling. In all other cases, these checks shall be done on 
basis of the lot or transport vehicle.  
The produce shall be removed entirely from its packaging for the conformity check. The inspector may o nly 
dispense with this where the sampling is based on composite samples.  
The inspection of uniformity, minimum requirements, quality classes and size shall be carried out on the basis of 
the bulk sample, or on the basis of the composite sample taking into account the explanatory brochures published 
by the OECD Scheme for the Application of International Standards for Fruit and Vegetables.  
When defects are detected, the inspector shall ascertain the respective percentage of the produce not in 
conformity with  the standard by number or weight.  
External defects shall be checked on the basis of the bulk or composite sample. Certain criteria on the degree of 
development and/or ripeness or on the presence or absence of internal defects may be checked on the basis o f 
reduced samples. The check based on the reduced sample applies in particular to checks which destroy the trade 
value of the produce.  
The criteria on the degree of development and/or ripeness shall be checked using the instruments and methods 
laid down to  this end in the relevant marketing standard or in accordance with the Guidance on Objective Tests 
to Determine Quality of Fruit and Vegetables and Dry and Dried Produce.  
2.7.    Report of control results  
Documents referred to in Article 7 shall be issued,  where appropriate.   
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 If defects are found leading to non -conformity, the trader or his representative shall be informed in writing about 
these defects and the percentage found as well as the reasons for non -conformity. If the compliance of produce 
with the standard is possible by a change in marking, the trader or his representative shall be informed.  
If defects are found in a product, the percentage found not to be in conformity with the standard shall be 
indicated.  
2.8.    Decline in value by conformity ch eck 
After the conformity check, the bulk or composite sample is put at the disposal of the operator or his 
representative.  
The inspection body shall not be bound to hand back the elements of the bulk or composite sample destroyed 
during the conformity chec k.