1997R1093 — EN — 01.01.2002 — 002.001 — 1
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►B COMMISSIONREGULATION(EC)No1093/97
of16June1997
layingdownmarketingstandardsapplicableto ►M2 ◄watermelons
(OJ L 158, 17.6.1997, p. 21)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►M1Commission Regulation (EC) No 850/2000 of 27 April 2000 L 103 21 28.4.2000
►M2Commission Regulation (EC) No 1615/2001 of 7 August 2001 L 214 21 8.8.2001
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COMMISSIONREGULATION(EC)No1093/97
of16June1997
laying down marketing standards applicable to
►M2 ◄watermelons
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 organization of the market in fruit and
vegetables(1), and in particular Article 2 (2) thereof,
Whereas Regulation (EC) No 2200/96, in Annex I, lists the products for
which standards must be adopted; whereas, of the products listed in thatAnnex, no Community standards have yet been laid down for melonsand watermelons; whereas it is therefore necessary to lay downmarketing standards for those products; whereas, to that end, for thesake of transparency on the world market, account should be taken of the
standards recommended for those products by the United Nations
Economic Commission for Europe;
Whereas application of those standards should have the effect of keeping
products of unsatisfactory quality off the market, directing production tomeet consumers' requirements and facilitating trade under faircompetitive conditions, thereby helping to improve the profitability of
production;
Whereas those standards are applicable to all marketing stages; whereas
transport over large distances, storage for more than a certain durationand the amount of handling to which products are subject can result insome degree of deterioration owing to the biological development of theproduct or its perishable nature; whereas such deterioration should betaken into account in the application of the standards to the marketing
stages following consignment;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance
with the opinion of the Management Committee for Fresh Fruit andVegetables,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
1. The marketing standard for watermelons, falling within CN code
0807 11 00, shall be as set out in the Annex.
2. The standards shall apply to all marketing stages under the
conditions laid down in Regulation (EC) No 2200/96.
However, at stages following consignment the following tolerances shall
be allowed:
(a) a slight loss of freshness and turgidity;
(b) for products other than the ‘Extra’ class, slight deterioration due to
biological development and perishability.
Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 July 1997.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in
all Member States.1997R1093 — EN — 01.01.2002 — 002.001 — 2
(1) OJ No L 297, 21. 11. 1996, p. 1.▼M2
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▼M2
ANNEX
STANDARDSFORWATERMELONS
I. DEFINITION OF PRODUCE
This standard applies to watermelons of varieties (cultivars) grown from
Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. et Nakai to be supplied fresh to the
consumer, watermelons for industrial processing being excluded.
II. PROVISIONS CONCERNING QUALITY
The purpose of the standard is to define the quality requirements of
watermelons after preparation and packaging.
A.Minimumrequirements
In all classes, subject to the special provisions for each class and the
tolerances allowed, the watermelons must be:
— intact,
— sound; produce affected by rotting or deterioration such as to
make it unfit for consumption is excluded,
— clean, practically free from any visible foreign matter,
— practically free from pests,— practically free from damage caused by pests,— firm and sufficiently ripe; the colour and taste of the flesh should
conform to a sufficient state of ripeness,
— not split,
— free from abnormal external moisture,— free from any foreign smell and/or taste.
The development and condition of the watermelons 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
The watermelons are classified in two classes defined below:
(i)Class I
Watermelons in this class must be of good quality.
They must be:
— well-formed, allowing for the characteristics of the variety,
— free of cracks and bruises; slight superficial cracks are not
considered as defects.
A slight defect in colouring is allowed for the paler part of the
melon which has been in contact with the ground during theperiod of growth.
The stem of the watermelon must not exceed 5 cm in length.
(ii)Class II
This class includes watermelons which do not qualify for
inclusion in Class I, but satisfy the minimum requirementsspecified above.
The following defects may be allowed provided the watermelons
retain their essential characteristics as regards the quality, thekeeping quality, and presentation:
— slight defect in shape,
— slight defect in colouring of the rind,— slight bruising or superficial defects due in particular to
mechanical impact or to damage by parasites or diseases.1997R1093 — EN — 01.01.2002 — 002.001 — 3
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III. PROVISIONS CONCERNING SIZING
Size is determined by the weight per unit. The minimum weight is fixed
at 1,5 kg.
When watermelons are presented in packages, the difference in weight
between the lightest and the heaviest unit in the same package should
not exceed 2 kg, or 3,5 kg if the lightest unit exceeds 6 kg.
This relative uniformity of weight is not compulsory for watermelons
presented in bulk.
IV. PROVISIONS CONCERNING TOLERANCES
Tolerances in respect of quality and size shall be allowed in each
package, or in each lot for produce presented in bulk, for produce not
satisfying the requirements of the class indicated.
A.Qualitytolerances
(i)Class I
10 % by number or weight of watermelons not satisfying the
requirements 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 watermelons satisfying neither the
requirements of the class nor the minimum requirements, with theexception of produce affected by rotting, or any other deteriora-tion rendering it unfit for consumption.
B.Sizetolerances
For all classes: 10 % by number or weight of watermelons not
conforming to the size indiated, but no more than 1 kg asbove orbelow the size range specified.
The tolerance may in no case extend to fruit weighing less than 1 kg.
V. PROVISIONS CONCERNING PRESENTATION
A.Uniformity
The contents of each package, or lot for produce presented in bulk,
must be uniform and contain only watermelons of the same origin,
variety and quality.
The visible part of the contents of the package, or lot for produce
presented in bulk, must be representative of the entire contents.
In addition, in Class I, the shape and colour of the rind of the
watermelons must be uniform.
B.Packaging
The watermelons 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 tothe produce. The use of materials particularly paper or stamps,bearing trade specifications is allowed provided the printing or
labelling has been done with non-toxicink or glue.
Packages, or lots for produce presented in bulk, must be free from all
foreign matter.
Watermelons transported in bulk must be separated from the floor
and walls of the vehicles by a suitable protective material, whichmust be new and clean and not liable to transfer any abnormal tasteor smell to the fruit.
C.Presentation
The watermelons may be presented:
— in packages,
— in bulk.1997R1093 — EN — 01.01.2002 — 002.001 — 4
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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.
For watermelons transported in bulk (direct loading into a transport
vehicle) these particulars must appear on a document accompanying thegoods, and attached in a visible position inside the transport vehicle.
For this type of presentation the indication of the size, the net weight or
the number of units is not compulsory.
A.Identification
Packer and/or dispatcher: name and address or officially issued or
accepted code mark. However, in the case where a code mark is used,the reference ‘Packer’ and/or ‘Dispatcher’ (or equivalent abbrevia-tions) have to be indicated in close connection with the code mark.
B.Natureofproduce
— ‘Watermelons’, if the contents are not visible from the outside.
C.Originofproduce
— Country of origin and, optionally, district where grown or
national, regional or local place name.
D.Commercial specifications
— class,
— size (if sized) expressed in minimum and maximum weight,
— net weight or number of units.
E.Official controlmark(optional)1997R1093 — EN — 01.01.2002 — 002.001 — 5