COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 963/98 of 7 May 1998 laying down marketing standards for cauliflowers and artichokes
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 of 28 October 1996 on the common organisation of the market in fruit and vegetables (1), as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2520/97 (2), and in particular Article 2(2) thereof,
Whereas cauliflowers and artichokes are listed in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 as products for which standards must be adopted; whereas Annex II/1 to Council Regulation No 23 of 4 April 1962 on the progressive establishment of a common organisation of the market in fruit and vegetables (3), as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 888/97 (4), lays down common quality standards for cauliflowers; whereas Annex I/6 to Commission Regulation No 58 (5), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 888/97, laying down common quality standards for certain products listed in Annex I B to Regulation No 23 lays down standards for artichokes; whereas those standards no longer reflect market requirements;
Whereas the rules concerned must therefore be redrafted and Regulation No 23 and Annex I/6 to Regulation No 58 repealed, taking account, for the sake of transparency on the world market, of the standards recommended for the products concerned by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe;
Whereas the application of the standards should eliminate poor quality products from the market, direct production to meet consumer requirements and facilitate trade on the basis of fair competition, so helping to improve profitability;
Whereas the standards are applicable at all marketing stages; whereas long-distance transport storage for a certain period and the handling which the products undergo may result in some deterioration owing to the products' biological development and perishability; whereas account must be taken of such deterioration when the standards are applied at the marketing stages following dispatch; whereas, since products in the 'Extra` class must be sorted and packed with special care, allowance should be made only for some loss of freshness and turgidity;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
1. The marketing standards for cauliflowers falling within CN code 0704 10, and artichokes falling within CN code 0709 10 00, shall be as set out in Annexes I and II hereto.
2. The standards shall apply at all marketing stages in accordance with the conditions laid down in Regulation (EC) No 2200/96.
At the stages following dispatch, however, the products may show, compared with the standards:
- a slight loss of freshness and turgidity,
- slight deterioration in the case of products in classes other than 'Extra`, owing to their development and perishability.
Article 2
Regulation No 23 is hereby repealed and Annex I/6 to Regulation No 58 deleted.
Article 3
This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 July 1998.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 7 May 1998.