1999R1455 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 004.001 — 1
This document is meant purely as a documentation tool and the institutions do not assume any liability for its contents
►B COMMISSIONREGULATION(EC)No1455/1999
of1July1999
layingdownthemarketingstandardforsweetpeppers
(OJ L 167, 2.7.1999, p. 22)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►M1Commission Regulation (EC) No 2706/2000 of 11 December 2000 L 311 35 12.12.2000
►M2Commission Regulation (EC) No 2147/2002 of 2 December 2002 L 326 8 3.12.2002
►M3Commission Regulation (EC) No 46/2003 of 10 January 2003 L 7 61 11.1.2003
►M4Commission Regulation (EC) No 907/2004 of 29 April 2004 L 163 50 30.4.2004
▼B
COMMISSIONREGULATION(EC)No1455/1999
of1July1999
layingdownthemarketingstandardforsweetpeppers
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,
(1)Whereas sweet peppers are listed in Annex I to Regulation (EC)No 2200/96 as products for which standards are to be adopted;whereas Commission Regulation (EEC) No 79/88 of 13 January
1988 laying down quality standards for lettuces, curled-leaved
endives, broad-leaved (Batavian) endives and sweet peppers (
3),
as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 888/97 (4), has been
amended many times and no longer ensures legal clarity;
(2)Whereas, in the interests of clarity, the rules on sweet peppersshould be separated from those on other products under Regula-
tion (EEC) No 79/88; whereas the rules in question should
therefore be recast and Annex II to Regulation (EEC) No 79/88on sweet peppers deleted; whereas, to that end, for reasons oftransparency on the world market, account should be taken ofthe standard recommended for sweet peppers by the Working
Party on Standardisation of the Perishable Produce and Quality
Development of the United Nations Economic Commission forEurope (UN/ECE);
(3)Whereas the effect of these standards must be to removeproducts of unsatisfactory quality from the market, gear produc-tion to satisfying consumer requirements and facilitate trade
relations on the basis of fair competition, thereby helping to
make production more profitable;
(4)Whereas the standards are applicable at all stages of marketing;whereas transport over a great distance, storage for a certainlength of time and the various handling operations to which the
products are subjected may bring about deterioration due to the
biological development of the products or their perishability;whereas account should be taken of such deterioration whenapplying the standards at the marketing stages followingdispatch;
(5)Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in
accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for
FreshFruit and Vegetables,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
The marketing standard for sweet peppers covered by CN code
0709 60 10 shall be as set out in the Annex.
The standard shall apply at all stages of marketing 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 standards, a slight lack of freshness and
turgidity, and slight deteriorations due to their development and theirtendency to perish.1999R1455 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 004.001 — 2
(1) OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 100, 26.6.1999, p. 80.
(3) OJ L 10, 14.1.1988, p. 8.
(4) OJ L 126, 17.5.1997, p. 11.
▼B
Article 2
Regulation (EEC) No 79/88 is amended as follows:1. in the title, ‘curled-leaved endives, broad-leaved (Batavian) endives
and sweet peppers’ is replaced by ‘curled-leaved endives and broad-
leaved (Batavian) endives’;
2. the first paragraph of Article 1 is replaced by the following:
‘The quality standards for lettuces, curled-leaved endives and broad-
leaved (Batavian) endives falling within subheadings 0705 11,ex 0705 19 and 0705 2900 of the Combined Nomenclature shallbe as set out in the Annex.’;
3. Annex II is deleted.
Article 3
This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following its
publication in the Official Journl 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.1999R1455 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 004.001 — 3
▼B
ANNEX
STANDARDFORSWEETPEPPERS
I. DEFINITION OF PRODUCE
This standard applies to sweet peppers of varieties (cultivars) grown from
Capsicum annuum L. var. annuum, to be supplied freshto th e consumer,
sweet peppers for industrial processing being excluded.
According to their shape a distinction is made for four commercial types:
— elongated sweet peppers (pointed),
— square sweet peppers (blunt),
— square tapering sweet peppers (peg top),
— flat sweet peppers (tomato peppers).
II. PROVISIONS CONCERNING QUALITY
The purpose of the standard is to define the quality requirements for sweet
peppers after preparation and packaging.
A.Minimumrequirements
In all classes, subject to the special provisions for each class and the
tolerances allowed, the sweet peppers must be:
— intact,
— sound; produce affected by rotting or deterioration suchas to make
it unfit for consumption is excluded,
— clean, practically free of any visible foreign matter,
— freshin appearance,
— practically free from pests,
— practically free from damage caused by pests,— well-developed,
— free of damage caused by frost,
— free of unhealed injuries,
— free of sunburn [except for the specifications in Chapter B: Classifi-
cation, point (ii)],
— withpeduncles attach ed,
— free of abnormal external moisture,
— free of any foreign smell and/or taste.
The development and condition of the sweet peppers must be such as to
enable them to:
— withstand transport and handling, and
— arrive in satisfactory condition at the place of destination.
B.Classification
Sweet peppers are classified in two classes, defined below:
(i)Class I
Sweet peppers in this class must be of good quality. They must be
characteristic of the variety and/or commercial type as regards
development, shape and colour with due regard to the degree of
ripeness.
They must be:
— firm,
— practically free of blemishes.
The peduncle may be slightly damaged or cut with the calyx intact.
(ii)Class II
This class includes sweet peppers which do not qualify for inclusion
in Class I but satisfy the minimum requirements specified above.1999R1455 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 004.001 — 4
▼M1
▼B
▼B
The following defects may be allowed provided the peppers retain
their essential characteristics as regards the quality, keeping quality
and presentation:
— defects in shape and development,
— sunburn or slight healed injuries, with a limit of 2 cm in length
for defects of elongated shape, and 1 cm2of the total area for
other defects,
— slight dry superficial cracks not exceeding an overall cumulative
lengthof 3 cm.
They may be less firm without being withered.
The peduncle may be damaged or cut.
III. PROVISIONS CONCERNING SIZING
Size is determined by the shoulder diameter (width) of the sweet peppers. In
the case of flat sweet peppers (tomato peppers) the term ‘width’ means the
maximum equatorial diameter.
For sized sweet peppers, the difference in diameter between the largest and
smallest sweet pepper in the same package may not exceed 20 mm.
The width of sweet peppers may not be less than:
— elongated sweet peppers (pointed): 20 mm
— square sweet peppers (blunt) and square tapering sweet peppers (peg-
top): 40 mm
— flat sweet peppers (tomato peppers): 55 mm
Sizing is not compulsory for Class II, subject to the minimum sizes.
The size requirements shall not apply to miniature produce (1).
IV. PROVISIONS CONCERNING TOLERANCES
Tolerances in respect of quality and size shall be allowed in each package
for produce not satisfying the requirements of the class indicated.
A.Qualitytolerances
(i)Class I
10 % by number or weight of sweet peppers not satisfying the require-
ments of the class, but meeting those of Class II or, exceptionally,
coming within the tolerances of that class.
(ii)Class II
10 % by number or weight of sweet peppers satisfying neither the
requirements of the class nor the minimum requirements, with the
exception of produce affected by rotting or any other deterioration
rendering it unfit for consumption.
B.Sizetolerances
(i)Class I
10 % by number or weight of sweet peppers not conforming to the
sizes identified within a margin of ± 5 mm including no more than
5 % of sweet peppers below the minimum size laid down.
(ii)Class II
—Sized sweet peppers
10 % by number or weight of sweet peppers not conforming to
the sizes identified within a margin of ± 5 mm including no
more than 5 % of sweet peppers below the minimum size laid
down.1999R1455 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 004.001 — 5
(1) Miniature product means a variety or cultivar of sweet pepper, obtained by plant
breeding and/or special cultivation techniques, excluding sweet peppers of non-minia-ture varieties which have not fully developed or are of inadequate size. All other
requirements of the standard must be met.▼M1
▼B
▼M1
▼B
▼B
—Unsized sweet peppers
5 % by number or weight of sweet peppers up to 5 mm smaller
than the minimum size laid down.
V. PROVISIONS CONCERNING PRESENTATION
A.Uniformity
The contents of each package must be uniform and contain only sweet
peppers of the same origin, variety or commercial type, quality, size (if
sized) and, in the case of Class I, of appreciably the same degree of
ripeness and colouring.
However, a mixture of sweet peppers of different colours may be
packed together, provided they are uniform in origin, quality, commer-
cial type and size (if sized).
Consumer packages of a net weight not exceeding one kilo, may contain
mixtures of sweet peppers of different colours and/or commercial types,
provided they are uniform in quality, and for each colour and/or
commercial type concerned, in origin.
In the case of sized produce, elongated sweet peppers should be suffi-
ciently uniform in length.
Miniature sweet peppers must be reasonably uniform in size. They may
be mixed withoth er miniature products of a different type and origin.
The visible part of the contents of the 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 sweet peppers 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 suchas to avoid causing any external or internal damage to th e
produce. The use of materials, particularly paper or stamps bearing trade
specifications is allowed, provided the printing or labelling has been
done withnon-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.
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 dispatcherThis 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 the1999R1455 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 004.001 — 6
(1) OJ L 7, 11.1.2003, p. 65.▼M2
▼B
▼M1
▼B
▼M3
▼B
▼M4
▼B
▼M4
▼M4
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.
B.Natureofproduce
If the contents are not visible from the outside:
— ‘Sweet peppers’,
— colour,— commercial type (‘elongated’, ‘square blunt’, ‘square tapering’,
‘flat’) or name of the variety.
In the case of packages or consumer packages containing a mixture of
different colours and/or commercial types of sweet pepper:
— ‘Mixed peppers’, or equivalent denomination,
— if the contents are not visible from the outside, colours and/or
commercial types of the sweet peppers and number of pieces of
eachof th e colours and/or commercial types concerned.
C.Origin ofproduce
Country of origin and, optionally, district where grown or national,
regional or local place name.
In the case of consumer packages containing a mixture of sweet peppers
of different colours and/or commercial types of different origins, the
indication of each country of origin shall appear next to the name of
the colour and/or commercial type concerned.
D.Commercial specifications
— Class
— Size (if sized) expressed as minimum and maximum diameters or
the mark ‘unsized’ where appropriate
— Where appropriate, ‘Mini peppers’, ‘Baby peppers’, or other appro-
priate term for miniature produce. Where several types of miniature
produce are mixed in the same package, all products and their
respective origins must be mentioned.
E.Official controlmark(optional)
Packages need not to bear the particulars mentioned in the first subpar-
agraph, 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.1999R1455 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 004.001 — 7
▼M2
▼B
▼M2
▼B
▼M4