2003R1757 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 001.001 — 1
This document is meant purely as a documentation tool and the institutions do not assume any liability for its contents
►B COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1757/2003
of 3 October 2003
laying down the marketing standard for courgettes and amending Regulation (EEC) No 1292/81
(OJ L 252, 4.10.2003, p. 11)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►M1 Commission Regulation (EC) No 907/2004 of 29 April 2004 L 163 50 30.4.2004
▼B
COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1757/2003
of 3 October 2003
laying down the marketing standard for courgettes and amending
Regulation (EEC) No 1292/81
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 Commission Regulation (EC) No 47/
2003 (2), and in particular Article 2(2),
Whereas:
(1) Courgettes are among the products listed in Annex I to Regula-
tion (EC) No 2200/96 for which standards must be adopted.
Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1292/81 laying down quality
standards for leeks, aubergines and courgettes (3), as last
amended by Regulation (EC) No 46/2003 (4), has been amended
and can no longer ensure legal clarity.
(2) In the interest of clarity, the rules on courgettes should be sepa-rated from those on other products under Regulation (EC) No1292/81 and this Regulation should be amended accordingly.To that end, and in the interest of preserving transparency onthe world market, account should be taken of the UN/ECE stan-
dard FFV-41 concerning marketing and quality control of
courgettes recommended by the Working Party on Standardisa-tion of Perishable Produce and Quality Development of theUnited Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE).
(3) Application of these new standards should remove products ofunsatisfactory quality from the market, bring production intoline with consumer requirements and facilitate trade based onfair competition, thereby helping to improve profitability.
(4) The standards are applicable at all marketing stages. Long-distance transport, storage over a certain period and the variousprocesses the products undergo may cause some degree of dete-rioration owing to the biological development of the products ortheir perishable nature. Account should be taken of such dete-
rioration when applying the standard at the marketing stages
following dispatch.
(5) As products in the ‘Extra’ class have to be particularly carefullysorted and packaged, only lack of freshness and turgidity is to be
taken into account in their case.
(6) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance
with the opinion of the Management Committee for Fresh Fruitand Vegetables,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
The marketing standard for courgettes falling within CN code
0709 90 70 shall be as set out in the Annex.
The standard shall apply at all marketing stages under the conditions
laid down in Regulation (EC) No 2200/96.
However, at stages following dispatch, products may show, in relation
to the requirements of the standard, a slight lack of freshness and2003R1757 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 001.001 — 2
(1) OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 7, 11.1.2003, p. 64.
(3) OJ L 129, 15.5.1981, p. 38.
(4) OJ L 7, 11.1.2003, p. 61.
▼B
turgidity; products graded in classes other than the ‘Extra’ class may
show in addition slight deteriorations due to their development andtheir tendency to perish.
Article 2
Regulation (EC) No 1292/81 is amended as follows:1. The title is replaced by: ‘Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1292/81
of 12 May 1981 laying down the marketing standard for auber-
gines’.
2. In Article 1, the first subparagraph is replaced by:
‘The marketing standard for aubergines, falling within CN code
0709 30 00, shall be as set out in the Annex.’
3. In Annex II, the title is replaced by:
‘ANNEX
STANDARD FOR AUBERGINES’ .
4. Annex III is deleted.
Article 3
This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following that of
its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union .
It shall apply from 1 December 2003.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable
in all Member States.2003R1757 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 001.001 — 3
▼B
ANNEX
STANDARD FOR COURGETTES
I. DEFINITION OF PRODUCE
This standard applies to courgettes, harvested young and tender, before their
seeds have become firm, from varieties (cultivars) grown from Cucurbita pepo
L. to be supplied fresh to the consumer, courgettes for industrial processing
being excluded.
This standard also covers courgettes presented with the flower.
II. PROVISIONS CONCERNING QUALITY
The purpose of the standard is to define the quality requirements of courgettes
after preparation and packaging.
A.Minimum requirements
In all classes, subject to the special provisions for each class and the toler-
ances allowed, the courgettes and the courgettes with flower must be:
— intact with stalk, which may be slightly damaged,
— 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,— fresh in appearance,— practically free from pests,— practically free from damage caused by pests,— free of abnormal external moisture,
— free of any foreign smell and/or taste.
In addition, fruits must be:
— firm,
— free of cavities,— free of splits,— sufficiently developed, without lignification of the seeds.
The development and the condition of the courgettes 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 courgettes are classified in three classes defined below:
(i) Extra Class
Courgettes in this class must be of superior quality. They must be char-
acteristic of the variety and/or commercial type.
They must be:
— well developed,
— well shaped,— with their stalk neatly cut and of a maximum length of 3 cm.
They must be free from defects with the exception of very slight super-
ficial defects provided these do not affect the general appearance of the
produce, the quality, the keeping quality and presentation in the
package.
(ii) Class I
Courgettes in this class must be of good quality. They must be charac-
teristic of the variety and/or the commercial type.
The following slight defects, however, may be allowed provided these
do not affect the general appearance of the produce, the quality, the
keeping quality and presentation in the package:
— slight defects in shape,
— slight defects in colouring,
— very slight defects of the skin,2003R1757 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 001.001 — 4
▼B
— very slight defects due to diseases provided that they are not
progressive and do not affect the flesh.
The courgettes must include a stalk of a maximum length of 3 cm.
(iii) Class II
This class includes courgettes which do not qualify for inclusion in the
higher classes, but satisfy the minimum requirements specified above.
The following defects may be allowed provided the courgettes retain
their essential characteristics as regards the quality, the keeping quality
and presentation:
— defects in shape,
— defects in colouring,— slight sun-scorching,
— slight defects of the skin,
— slight defects due to diseases provided that they are not progressive
and do not affect the flesh.
III. PROVISIONS CONCERNING SIZING
Size is determined either:
— by length, or
— by weight.
(a) For sizing by length, this is measured between the junction of the stalk and
the end of the fruit tip.
The minimum length is 7 cm and the maximum length 35 cm.For Classes Extra and I, courgettes shall be sized according to the following
scale:
— 7 cm to 14 cm included,
— 14 cm excluded to 21 cm included,— 21 cm excluded to 35 cm.
(b) For sizing by weight, the minimum weight is 50 g and the maximum weight
450 g.
For Classes Extra and I, courgettes shall be sized according to the following
scale:
— 50 g to 100 g included,
— 100 g excluded to 225 g included,— 225 g excluded to 450 g.
The size requirements shall neither apply to miniature produce (
1), nor to cour-
gettes presented with the flower.
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.Quality tolerances
(i) Extra Class
5 per cent by number or weight of courgettes not satisfying the require-
ments of the class but meeting those of Class I or, exceptionally,
coming within the tolerances of that class.
(ii) Class I
10 per cent by number or weight of courgettes not satisfying the
requirements of the class but meeting those of Class II or, exception-
ally, coming within the tolerances of that class.
(iii) Class II
10 per cent by number or weight of courgettes 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.2003R1757 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 001.001 — 5
(1) Miniature produce means a variety or cultivar of courgette, obtained by plant breeding
and/or special cultivation techniques. All other requirements of the standard must be
met.
▼B
B.Size tolerances
For all classes: 10 per cent by number or weight of courgettes not satisfying
the requirements of the size but satisfying those of the size immediately
below or above that specified on the package.
However, this tolerance is applicable only to produce which differs by not
more than 10 per cent from the size or weight limits specified.
V. PROVISIONS CONCERNING PRESENTATION
A.Uniformity
The contents of each package must be uniform and contain only courgettes
of the same origin, variety or commercial type, quality and size (if sized),
and appreciably the same degree of development and colouring.
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 three
kilograms or less, with different types of fresh fruit and vegetables on the
conditions laid down by Commission Regulation (EC) No 48/2003 (1).
Miniature courgettes and courgettes presented with the flower must be
reasonably uniform in size. Miniature courgettes may be mixed with other
miniature products of a different type and origin.
B.Packaging
The courgettes must be packed in such a way as to protect the produce prop-
erly.
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.
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 label-
ling shall also include a code representing the packer and/or the
dispatcher. The seller shall give all information deemed necessary by
the inspection body as to the meaning of this code.
B.Nature of produce
If the contents of the package are not visible from the outside:
— ‘Courgettes’,
— ‘Courgettes with flower’ or equivalent designation, where appropriate.2003R1757 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 001.001 — 6
(1) OJ L 7, 11.1.2003, p. 65.▼M1
▼B
▼M1
▼B
▼B
C.Origin of produce
— Country of origin and, optionally, district where grown or national,
regional or local place name.
D.Commercial specifications
— Class.
— Size (if sized) expressed:
— by the minimum and maximum measurements where sizing is by
length
— by the minimum and maximum weights where sizing is by weight.
— ‘mini courgettes’, ‘Baby courgettes’ or other appropriate term for minia-
ture produce, where appropriate. Where several types of miniature
produce are mixed in the same package, all products and their respective
origins must be mentioned.
E.Official control mark (optional)
Packages need not to bear the particulars mentioned in the first subparagraph,
when they contain sales packages, clearly visible from the outside, and all
bearing these particulars. These packages shall be free from any indicationssuch 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.2003R1757 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 001.001 — 7
▼M1