1999R2335 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 003.001 — 1
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►B COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2335/1999
of 3 November 1999
laying down marketing standards for peaches and nectarines
(OJ L 281, 4.11.1999, p. 11)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►M1 Commission Regulation (EC) No 46/2003 of 10 January 2003 L 7 61 11.1.2003
►M2 Commission Regulation (EC) No 582/2003 of 31 March 2003 L 83 37 1.4.2003
►M3 Commission Regulation (EC) No 907/2004 of 29 April 2004 L 163 50 30.4.2004
▼B
COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2335/1999
of 3 November 1999
laying down marketing standards for peaches and nectarines
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 vegeta-bles (
1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 (2), and in
particular Article 2(2) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) peaches and nectarines are among the products listed in Annex I
to Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 for which standards must beadopted; many amendments must be made to Commission Regu-lation (EEC) No 3596/90 of 12 December 1990 laying downquality standards for peaches and nectarines (
3), as last amended
by Regulation (EC) No 888/97 (4). In order to ensure legal
clarity, Regulation (EEC) No 3596/90 should be repealed andthe rules it contains recast. To that end and in the interests ofpreserving transparency on the world market, account should betaken of the standard for peaches and nectarines recommended
by the Working Party on Standardisation of Perishable Produce
and Quality Development of the United Nations EconomicCommission for Europe (UN/ECE);
(2) the standards for peaches and nectarines provide for the obliga-tion to comply with a sizing scale; under Commission
Regulation (EEC) No 1169/93 (
5), size D is authorised only
during the period from the beginning of the marketing year until30 June in order to permit early varieties of small fruits to bemarketed while at the same time preventing the marketing after1 July of late varieties of peaches and nectarines of size D,
which are larger when ripe; this restriction need not extend
beyond the marketing period for Community peaches and nectar-ines;
(3) the market in fresh peaches and nectarines, particularly at the
retail stage, is greatly dependent on the organoleptic quality of
these products, which may vary considerably. The branch shouldtherefore be allowed to indicate on the packaging minimum ormaximum values for essential maturity criteria to allow consu-mers freedom of choice in purchasing fruit of an optimalorganoleptic quality;
(4) applying these standards should result in products of unsatisfac-tory quality being removed from the market, bringing productioninto line with consumer requirements and facilitating trade rela-tionships based on fair competition, thereby helping improve the
profitability of production;
(5) the standards apply to all marketing stages. Long-distance trans-
port, storage over a certain period and the various processeswhich the products undergo may cause certain alterations owing
to the biological development of the products or to their rela-
tively perishable nature. Account should be taken of suchdeterioration when applying the standards at the marketingstages which follow dispatch. Since products in the ‘Extra’ classmust be sorted and packaged with particular care, only lack offreshness and turgidity is to be taken into account in their case;1999R2335 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 003.001 — 2
(1) OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 80.
(3) OJ L 350, 14.12.1990, p. 38.
(4) OJ L 126, 17.5.1997, p. 11.
(5) OJ L 118, 14.5.1993, p. 22.
▼B
(6) the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance
with the opinion of the Management Committee for Fruit and
Vegetables,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
The marketing standards relating to peaches and nectarines falling
within CN code 0809 30 shall be as indicated in the Annex hereto.
This standard shall apply at all marketing stages, under the conditions
laid down in Regulation (EC) No 2200/96.
However, at stages following dispatch, the products may show in rela-
tion to the provisions of the standard:
— a slight lack of freshness and turgidity,
— for products graded in classes other than the ‘Extra’ class, slight
deteriorations due to their development and their tendency to perish.
Article 2
Regulation (EEC) No 3596/90 is hereby repealed.
Article 3
This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following that of
its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities .
It shall apply from the first day of the month following that of its entry
into force.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable
in all Member States.1999R2335 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 003.001 — 3
▼B
ANNEX
MARKETING STANDARD FOR PEACHES AND NECTARINES
I. DEFINITION OF PRODUCE
This standard applies to peaches and nectarines (1) grown from varieties
(cultivars) of Prunus persica Sieb . and Zucc ., to be supplied fresh to the
consumer, peaches and nectarines for industrial processing being excluded.
II. PROVISIONS CONCERNING QUALITY
The purpose of the standard is to define the quality requirements for
peaches and nectarines after preparation and packaging.
A.Minimum requirements
In all classes, subject to the special provisions for each class and the
tolerances allowed, peaches and nectarines must be:
— intact,
— sound; produce affected by rotting or deterioration such as to make
it unfit for consumption is excluded,
— clean, practically free of any visible foreign matter,
— practically free from pests,
— practically free from damage caused by pests,— free of abnormal external moisture,— free of any foreign smell and/or taste.
Peaches and nectarines must have been carefully picked.
They must be sufficiently developed and display satisfactory ripeness.
The development and state of ripeness of peaches and nectarines must
be such as to enable them:
— to withstand transport and handling, and
— to arrive in satisfactory condition at the place of destination.
B.Classification
Peaches and nectarines are classified into three classes as defined below:
(i) ‘Extra’ class
Peaches and nectarines in this class must be of a superior quality.
In shape, development and colouring they must be typical of the
variety allowing for the district in which they are grown. They
must be free from defects with the exception of very slight super-
ficial defects, provided that these do not affect the general
appearance of the produce, its quality, keeping quality and presen-
tation in the package.
(ii) Class I
Peaches and nectarines in this class must be of good quality. They
must be characteristic of the variety, allowing for the district in
which they are grown. However, a slight defect in shape, develop-
ment or colouring may be allowed.
The flesh must be perfectly sound.Peaches and nectarines split where the stem is joined to the fruit
are excluded.
Slight skin defects, however, may be allowed provided these do not
affect the general appearance of the produce, the quality, the
keeping quality, the keeping quality and presentaiton in the
package and do not exceed:
— 1 cm in length for defects of elongated shape,
— 0.5 cm
2in total area for other defects.
(iii) Class II1999R2335 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 003.001 — 4
(1) This text applies to all varieties grown from Prunus persica Sieb . and Zucc ., being
peaches or nectarines or similar with attached (clingstones) or unattached stone and
smooth or rough skin.▼M2
▼B
▼B
This class includes peaches and nectarines which do not qualify for
inclusion in the higher classes, but which satisfy the minimum
requirements specified above.
The flesh should not show any serious defects. Fruits split where
the stem is joined to the fruit are allowed only in connection with
quality tolerances.
The following skin defects may be allowed provided the peaches
and nectarines retain their essential characteristics as regards the
quality, the keeping quality and presentation and do not exceed:
— 2 cm in length for defects of elongated shape,
— 1.5 cm2in total area for other defects.
III. PROVISIONS CONCERNING SIZING
Size is determined by:
— circumference, or
— maximum diameter of the equatorial section.
Peaches and nectarines must be graded according to the following scale:
DiameterSizing
(code)Circumference
90 mm and above AAAA 28 cm and above
80 mm and over but under 90 mm AAA 25 cm and over but under 28 cm
73 mm and over but under 80 mm AA 23 cm and over but under 25 cm
67 mm and over but under 73 mm A 21 cm and over but under 23 cm
61 mm and over but under 67 mm B 19 cm and over but under 21 cm
56 mm and over but under 61 mm C 17,5 cm and over but under 19 cm
51 mm and over but under 56 mm D 16 cm and over but under 17,5 cm
The minimum size allowed for the ‘Extra’ class is 17,5 cm (circumference)
or 56 mm (diameter).
Size D (51 mm and over but under 56 mm in diameter or 16 cm and over
but under 17,5 cm in circumference) is not allowed in the period from 1
July to 31 October.
Sizing is compulsory for all classes.
IV. PROVISIONS CONCERNING TOLERANCES
Tolerances in respect of quality and size shall be allowed in each package
for produce not satisfying the requirements for the class indicated.
A.Quality tolerances
(i) ‘Extra’ class
5 % by number or weight of peaches or nectarines not satisfying
the requirements of the class, but meeting those of class I or,
exceptionally, coming within the tolerances of that class.
(ii) Class I
10 % by number or weight of peaches or nectarines not satisfying
the requirements of the class, but meeting those of class II or,
exceptionally, coming within the tolerances for that class.
(iii) Class II
10 % by number or weight of peaches or nectarines satisfying
neither the requirements of the class nor the minimum require-
ments, with the exception of fruit affected by rotting, marked
bruising or any other deterioration rendering it unfit for consump-
tion.
B.Size tolerances
For all classes, 10 % by number or weight of peaches or nectarines up
to 1 cm more or less than the size stated on the package in the case of
sizing by circumference and up to 3 mm more or less in the case of
sizing by diameter. However, for fruit in the smallest size, this tolerance
shall apply only to peaches or nectarines of a size smaller by not more1999R2335 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 003.001 — 5
▼B
than 6 mm (circumference) or 2 mm (diameter) than the specified
minimum size.
V. PROVISIONS CONCERNING PRESENTATION
A.Uniformity
The contents of each package must be uniform and contain only peaches
or nectarines of the same origin, variety, quality, degree of ripeness and
size, and for the ‘Extra’ class, the contents must also be uniform in
colour.
The visible part of the contents of each package must be representative
of the entire contents.
Notwithstanding the preceding provisions in this point, products covered
by this Regulation may be mixed, in sales packages of a net weight of
less than three kilograms, with different types of fresh fruit and vegeta-
bles on the conditions laid down by Commission Regulation (EC) No
48/2003 (1).
B.Packaging
The peaches or nectarines must be packed in such a way as to protect
the produce properly.
The materials used inside the package must be new, clean and of a
quality such as to avoid causing any external or internal damage to the
produce. The use of materials, particularly of paper or stamps bearing
trade specifications is allowed provided the printing or labelling has
been done with non-toxic ink or glue.
Packages must be free of all foreign matter.
Stickers individually affixed on product shall be such as, when removed,
neither to leave visible traces of glue, nor to lead to skin defects.
C.Presentation
The peaches and nectarines may be presented:
— in small unit packages,
— in a single layer, in the case of ‘Extra’ class; each individual fruit in
this class must be separated from its neighbours.
In classes I and II:
— in one or two layers, or
— in no more than four layers when the fruit is placed in rigid pockets
so arranged that they do not rest on the fruit in the layer immedi-
ately below.
VI. PROVISIONS CONCERNING MARKING
Each package must bear the following particulars in letters grouped on the
same side, legibly and indelibly marked and visible from the outside:
A.Identification
The name and the address of the packer and/or the dispatcher
This mention may be replaced:
— for all packages with the exception of pre-packages, by the officially
issued or accepted code mark representing the packer and/or the
dispatcher, indicated in close connection with the reference ‘Packer
and/or Dispatcher’ (or equivalent abbreviations);
— for pre-packages only, by the name and the address of a seller estab-
lished within the Community indicated in close connection with the
mention ‘Packed for:’ or an equivalent mention. In this case, the
labelling shall also include a code representing the packer and/or
the dispatcher. The seller shall give all information deemed neces-
sary by the inspection body as to the meaning of this code.1999R2335 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 003.001 — 6
(1) OJ L 7, 11.1.2003, p. 65.▼M1
▼B
▼M3
▼B
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B.Nature of produce
— ‘peaches’ or ‘nectarines’, if the contents are not visible from the
outside,
— name of the variety for classes ‘Extra’ and I.
C.Origin of produce
Country of origin and, optionally, district where grown, or national,
regional or local place name.
D.Commercial specifications
— class,
— size expressed in minimum and maximum diameters or minimum
and maximum circumference or according to the coding set out in
Section III ‘Provisions concerning sizing’,
— number of units (optional),— minimum sugar content, measured by refractometer and expressed in
Brix degrees (optional),
— maximum firmness, measured by penetrometer and expressed in kg/
0,5 cm
2(optional),
E.Official control mark (optional).
Packages need not to bear the particulars mentioned in the first subpara-
graph, when they contain sales packages, clearly visible from the outside,
and all bearing these particulars. These packages shall be free from any
indications such as could mislead. When these packages are palletised, the
particulars shall be given on a notice placed in an obvious position on at
least two sides of the pallet.1999R2335 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 003.001 — 7
▼M3