1999R1455 — EN — 31.01.2003 — 002.001 — 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 46/2003 of 10 January 2003 L 7 61 11.1.2003
▼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), aslas t 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 asproductsfor which s tandardsare to be adopted;whereasCommis s ion 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),
aslas t amended by Regulation (EC) No 888/97(4), hasbeen
amended many timesand no longer ens ureslegal 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
relationson the bas isof 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 varioushandling operationsto which the
productsare s ubjected may bring about deterioration due to the
biological development of the productsor their peris hability;whereas account should be taken of such deterioration whenapplying the standards at the marketing stages followingdispatch;
(5)Whereasthe meas uresprovided for in thisRegulation are in
accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for
Fresh Fruit 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 — 31.01.2003 — 002.001 — 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 isamended asfollows :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) endivesfalling within s ubheadings0705 11,ex 0705 19 and 0705 29 00 of the Combined Nomenclature shallbe ass et out in the Annex.’;
3. Annex II isdeleted.
Article 3
ThisRegulation s hall 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.
ThisRegulation s hall be binding in itsentirety and directly applicable
in all Member States.1999R1455 — EN — 31.01.2003 — 002.001 — 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 fresh to the 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
peppersafter 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 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,— 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)],
— with pedunclesattached,
— 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 — 31.01.2003 — 002.001 — 4
▼M1
▼B
▼B
The following defectsmay be allowed provided the peppersretain
their essential characteristics as regards the quality, keeping quality
and presentation:
— defectsin s hape and development,
— sunburn or slight healed injuries, with a limit of 2 cm in length
for defectsof elongated s hape, and 1 cm2of the total area for
other defects,
— slight dry superficial cracks not exceeding an overall cumulative
length of 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.
—Unsized sweet peppers
5 % by number or weight of sweet peppers up to 5 mm
smaller than the minimum size laid down.1999R1455 — EN — 31.01.2003 — 002.001 — 5
(1) Miniature product meansa variety or cultivar of s weet pepper, obtained by plant
breeding and/or special cultivation techniques, excluding sweet peppers of non-minia-ture varietieswhich have not fully developed or are of inadequate s ize. All other
requirements of the standard must be met.▼M1
▼B
▼M1
▼B
▼B
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 is allowed as
long as origin, commercial type, quality and size (if sized) are uniform
and there is the same number of sweet peppers of each colour.
For packagesof s weet pepperswith a maximum weight of 1 kg, unifor-
mity is only required with respect to origin and quality. Where sweet
peppersof different coloursare marketed, uniformity of origin isnot
required.
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 with other miniature productsof 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 thisRegulation may be mixed, in s alespackagesof 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 such as to avoid causing any external or internal damage to the
produce. The use of materials, particularly paper or stamps bearing trade
specifications is allowed, provided the printing or labelling has been
done with non-toxic ink or glue.
packagesmus t be free of all foreign matter.
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
Packer and/or dispatcher: Name and address or officially issued or
accepted symbol. However, where a code (symbol) is used, the mention
‘packer and/or dispatcher’ (or an equivalent abbreviation) must be
placed close to this code (symbol).
B.Natureofproduce
— ‘Sweet peppers’ and the colour or colours if the contents are not
visible from the outside.
— Commercial type (‘elongated’, ‘square blunt’, ‘square tapering’,
‘flat’) or name of the variety if the contentsare not vis ible from
the outside.1999R1455 — EN — 31.01.2003 — 002.001 — 6
(1) OJ L 7, 11.1.2003, p. 65.▼M1
▼B
▼M2
▼B
▼M1
▼B
C.Origin ofproduce
— Country or, where appropriate, countriesof origin and, optionally,
district where grown or national, regional or local place name.
D.Commercial specifications
— Class
— Size (if sized) expressed as minimum and maximum diameters or
the mark ‘unsized’ where appropriate
— Mini peppers, baby peppers, or other appropriate 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
— Net weight or number of units(optional).
E.Official controlmark(optional)1999R1455 — EN — 31.01.2003 — 002.001 — 7
▼M1
▼B
▼M1
▼B