2213/ 8 3 --- I
1This document is meant purely as a documentation tool and the institutions do not assume any liability for its contents
COMMISSION REGULATION (EEC) No 2213/83
of 28 July 1983
laying down quality standards for onions and witloof chicory
(OJ No L 213, 4. 8. 1983, p. 13)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1654/87 of 12 June 1987 L 153 35 13. 6. 1987
Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1872/91 of 28 June 1991 L 168 60 29. 6. 1991Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3439/91 of 26 November 1991 L 326 21 28. 11. 1991Commission Regulation (EEC) No 658/92 of 16 March 1992 L 70 15 17. 3. 1992
COMMISSION REGULATION (EEC) No 1872/91
of 28 June 1991
amending Regulation (EEC) No 2213/83 laying down quality standards for onions and witloof
chicory as regards the characteristics of class II for witloof chicory
COMMISSION REGULATION (EEC) No 3439/91
of 26 November 1991
correcting the Danish version of Regulation (EEC) No 2213/83 as regards the quality standards
for onions
COMMISSION REGULATION (EEC) No 658/92
of 16 March 1992
correcting the Danish version of Regulations (EEC) No 778/83, (EEC) No 2213/83, (EEC) No
899/87, (EEC) No 1591/87, (EEC) No 1730/87, (EEC) No 79/88 and (EEC) No 920/89 as regards
the provisions concerning marketing in quality standards for certain fresh fruit and vegetables
(OJ No L 70, 17. 3. 1992, p. 15)
Amended
by:
Official Journal
No page date
2213/83 - - - I
ICOMMISSION REGULATION (EEC) No 2213/83
of 28 July 1983
laying down quality standards for onions and witloof chicory
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the T reaty establishing the EuropeanEconomic Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1035/72
of 18 May 1972 on the common oganization of the market
in fruit and vegetables (
1), as last amended by Regulation
(EEC) No 1738/82 (2), and in particular Article 2 (3)
thereof,
Whereas the quality standards for onions are laid down in
Annex II/6 of Regulation No 23 (3); whereas those stan-
dards were amended by Regulation No 87/64/EEC (4);
Whereas the quality standards for witloof chicory are laid
down in Annex I/2 to Regulation No 58 (5);
Whereas a change has occurred in the production and
marketing of these products particularly as regards the re-
quirements of consumer and wholesale markets; whereas
the common quality standards for onions and witloof chic-
ory should therefore be changed to take those new re-
quirements into account;
Whereas such changes entail alteration of the definition of
the supplementary quality class as laid down by Council
Regulation (EEC) No 1194/69 (6); whereas account should
be taken, in defining that class, of the economic import-
ance to producers of the products concerned and of the
need to meet consumer requirements;
Whereas the standards are applicable at all stages of
marketing; whereas transportation over a long distance,
storage for a certain length of time or the various handling
operations may bring about deterioration due to the bio-
logical development of the products or their tendency to
perish; whereas, therefore, account should be taken of such
deterioration when applying the standards at the marketing
stages following dispatch; whereas, since the products in
the ’Extra’ class have to be particularly carefully sorted
and packaged, only lack of freshness or turgescence is to
be taken into account only in their case;
Whereas in the interest of clarity and certainty as to legal
requirements for ease of use the standards thus changed
should be consolidated in a single text;
(1) OJ No L 118, 20. 5. 1972, p. 1.
(2) OJ No L 190, 1. 7. 1982, p. 7.
(3) OJ No 30, 20. 4. 1962, p. 965/62.
(4) OJ No 116, 21. 7. 1964, p. 1050/64.
(5) OJ No 56, 7. 7. 1962, p. 1607/62.
(6) OJ No L 157, 28. 6. 1969, p. 1.
2213/83 - - - I
IIWhereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are
in accordance with the opinion of the Management Com-
mittee for Fruit and Vegetables,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
2283/13 - - - I
1Article 1
The quality standards for onions falling within subheading
07.01 H of the Common Customs T ariff and for witloof
chicory falling within subheading 07.01 D II of the Com-
mon Customs T ariff are set out in Annexes I and II here-
to, (SIC! hereto.)
These standards shall apply at all marketing stages, under
the conditions laid down in Regulation (EEC) No 1035/72.
However, at the stages following dispatch the products may
show, in relation to the standards prescribed,
— a slight lack of freshness and turgescence,
— for the products graded in the classes other than the
‘Extra’ class, slight alternation due to their develop-
ment and their tendency to perish.
Article 2
1. The words ‘to onions’ in Article 2 of Regulation No
23 and the words ’witloof chicory’ in the first Article of
Regulation No 58 and the terms ‘onions, witloof chicory’ in
the first Article of Regulation (EEC) No 1194/69 are here-
by deleted.
2. Annex II/6 to Regulation No 23 and Annex I/2 to
Regulation No 58 and Annexes II and III to Regulation(EEC) No 1194/69 are hereby repealed.
Article 3
This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 September
1983.2213/83
2283/13 - - - I
2ANNEX I
QUALITY STANDARD FOR ONIONS
I.DEFINITION OF PRODUCE
This standard applies to onions grown from varieties (culti-
vars) of Allium cepa L. (SIC! Allium cepa L.) ,t ob es u p -
plied to the consumer in the natural state, green onionswith full leaves and onions for industrial processing being
excluded.
II. PROVISIONS CONCERNING QUALITY
T h ep u r p o s eo ft h es t a n d a r di st od e f i n et h eq u a l i t yr e -
quirements for onions after preparation and packaging.
A.Minimum requirements
In all cases, subject to the special provisions for each class
and the tolerances allowed, the bulbs must be:
—i n t a c t ,
— 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,
— free from damage due to frost,
— s u f f i c i e n t l yd r yf o rt h ei n t e n d e du s e( i nt h ec a s eo f
pickling onions, at least the first two outer skins and
the stem should be fully dried),
— free of all abnormal external moisture,
— free of foreign smell and/or taste.
Lastly, the stems must be twisted or clean cut and must
not be more than 4 cm long (except for stringed onions).
The condition of the onions must be such as to enable
them :
— to withstand transport and handling, and
— to arrive in satisfactory condition at the place of des-
tination.
B.Classification
Onions are classified into three classes defined below:
(i) Class I:
Onions in this class must be of good quality. In shape and
colour they must be typical of the variety.2213/83
1654/87
2213/83
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3The bulbs must be:
—f i r m a n d c o m p a c t ,
— without evidence of shoot growth or sprouting,
— without hollow or tough stems,
— free from swelling caused by abnormal development,
— practically free of root tufts (however, for onions har-
vested before complete maturity, root tufts are al-
lowed), small cracks in the outer skin are allowed.
The following are, however, permitted:
— light staining which does not affect the last dried skin
protecting the flesh, provided it does not cover more
than one-fifth of the surface of the bulb,
— small cracks in the outer skins and the absence of
part of the outer skins provided that the flesh is pro-
tected.
(ii) Class II:
This class includes onions which do not qualify for inclu-
sion in class I, but satisfy the minimum requirements speci-
fied above.
They should be reasonably firm and, provided they retain
their essential characteristics of quality and preservation,
they may show the following defects :
— shape and colouring not typical of the variety,
— early signs of shoot growth or sprouting (not more
t h a n1 0%b yn u m b e ro rw e i g h tb yu n i to fp r e s e n t a -
tion),
— traces of rubbing,
— slight marking caused by parasites or disease,
— small healed cracks,
— slight bruising, healed, unlikely to impair keeping
qualities.
They may have root tufts.
The following, however, are permitted:— staining which does not affect the last dried skin pro-
tecting the flesh provided it does not cover more than
half the surface of the bulb,
— cracks in the outer skins and the absence of a part of
the outer skins from not more than one-third of the
surface of the bulb, provided the flesh remains intact.2213/83
1654/87
2213/83
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4(iii) Glass III (1):
This class includes onions which do not qualify for inclu-
sion in the higher classes but satisfy the requirements for
class II. However, they may show the following:
— slight traces of soil,
— incipient shoot growth sprouting affecting not more
t h a n2 0%b yn u m b e ro rw e i g h tb yu n i to fp r e s e n t a -
tion,
— bruising unlikely to impair keeping qualities. (SIC!
qualities,)
— staining which does not affect the last dried skin pro-
tecting the flesh.
III.PROVISIONS CONCERNING SIZING
Sizing is determined by the maximum diameter of the
equatorial section. The minimum diameter is 10 mm. The
difference between the diameters of the smallest and
largest onions in the same package must not exceed:
Classes I and II:
— 5 mm where the diameter of the smallest onion is 10
mm and over but under 20 mm; however, where the
diameter of the onion is 15 mm and over but under
25 mm, the difference may be 10 mm,
— 15 mm where the diameter of the smallest onion is 20
mm and over but under 40 mm,
— 20 mm where the diameter of the smallest onion is 40
mm and over but under 70 mm,
— 30 mm when the diameter of the smallest onion is 70
mm or over.
Onions in class III may differ in size by not more than 30
mm in any one package.
IV . PROVISIONS CONCERNING TOLERANCES
T olerances in respect of quality and size are allowed in
each package for produce not satisfying the requirements
of the class indicated.
(1) Additional class within the meaning of Article 2 (1) of Re-
gulation (EEC) No 1035/72. Application of this quality classor of some of its requirements is subject to a decision to betaken pursuant to Article 4 (1) of the same Regulation.2213/83
1654/87
2213/83
2283/13 - - - I
5A.Quality tolerances
(i) Class I:
1 0%b yn u m b e ro rw e i g h to fo n i o n sn o ts a t i s f y i n gt h e
requirements for the class, but meeting those for class II
or, exceptionally, coming within the tolerances for that
class.
(ii) Classes II and III:
10 % by number or weight of onions satisfying neither the
requirements for the class nor the minimum requirements,
excluding produce affected by rotting, or any other deterio-
ration rendering it unfit for consumption.
B.Size tolerances
For all classes: 10 % by number or weight of onions not
conforming to the size identified, but with a diameter of
not more than 20 % below or above it.
V.PROVISIONS CONCERNING PRESENTATION
A.Uniformity
The contents of each package must be uniform and con-
tain only onions of the same origin, variety, quality and
size.
Uniformity may be limited to origin and size for onions in
class III.
The visible part of the contents of each package must be
representative of the entire contents.
B.Presentation
Onions may be presented:
— arranged in layers,
— packed in bulk,
— in ‘strings’ (of not less than 16 bulbs, with fully dried
stems).
C.Packaging
Onions must be packed in such a way as to ensure proper
protection of the produce.
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 and
particularly of paper or stamps bearing trade specifications
is allowed provided that the printing or labelling has been
done with a non-toxic ink or glue.2213/83
2283/13 - - - I
6Packaging must be free from all foreign matter.
VI. PROVISIONS CONCERNING MARKING
Each package must bear the following particulars in letters
grouped on the same side; (SIC! side,) legibly and indeli-
bly marked and visible from the outside:
A.Identification
Packer
and/orDispatcher

Name and address or officially issued or
accepted code mark.
B.Nature of produce
‘Onions’, if the contents are not visible from the outside.
C.Origin of produce
Country of origin, and optionally, district where grown or
national, regional or local place name.
D.Commercial specifications
— class,
— size indicated by minimum and maximum diameters,
—w e i g h t .
E.Official control mark (optional)2213/83
2283/13 - - - I
7ANNEX II
QUALITY STANDARDS FOR WITLOOF CHICORY
I.DEFINITION OF PRODUCE
This standard applies to chicory, i.e. chicory sprouts forced
from the roots of varieties (cultivars) of ‘witloof chicory’
derived from Cichorium intybus L. var. foliosum HEGI(SIC! Cichorium intybus L. var. foliosum HEGI), intended
for supply fresh to the consumer, witloof chicory for indus-
trial processing being excluded.
II. PROVISIONS CONCERNING QUALITY
The purpose of this standard is to define the quality re-
quirements for witloof chicory after preparation and pack-
aging.
A.Minimum requirements
In all classes, subject to the special provisions for each
class and the tolerances allowed, the chicory must be:
—i n t a c t ,
— sound; produce affected by rotting or deterioration
such as to make it unfit for consumption is excluded,
— free from reddish discoloration, frost-nip or traces of
bruising,
— free from damage caused by rodents or disease,
— free from damage caused by insects or other para-
sites,
— free from incipient flower spike more than three-
quarters of their length,
— clean, in particular having no earth-soiled leaves and
practically free of any visible foreign matter,
— pale, i.e. white to yellowish — white in colour,
— cut or broken off cleanly at the neck,
— fresh in appearance,
— free of abnormal external moisture,
— free of any foreign smell and/or taste.
The development and condition of the chicory must be
such as to enable them:
— to withstand transport and handling, and
— to arrive in satisfactory condition at the place of des-
tination.
B.Classification
The chicory is classified into four classes defined below:2213/83
2283/13 - - - I
8(i) ‘Extra’ class:
Chicory in this class must be of superior quality. It must,
in particular:
— be well-formed,
—b e f i r m ,
— have close heads, i.e. heads with a sharp, well-closed
tip,
— have outer leaves of at least three quarters of the
length of the chicory,
— not be greenish or glassy-looking.
(ii) Class I:
Chicory in this class must be of good quality. It must, in
particular:
—b e r e a s o n a b l y f i r m ,
— have outer leaves of at least half the length of the
chicory,
— not be greenish or glassy-looking.It may be less regular in shape, and the tips, without the
diameter of the opening exceeding the chicory’s maximum
diameter by more than one-fifth, may be less tight and
close than for the ’Extra’ class.
(iii) Class II:
This class includes chicory which does not qualify for inclu-
sion in the higher classes, but satisfies the minimum re-
quirements specified above.
It may, however, have the following defects:
— be of a slightly irregular shape,
— greenish at the tips of the leaves,
— be slightly open at the tip (the diameter of the open-
ing may not exceed the chicory’s maximum diameter
by more than one-third.
in (SIC! In) addition this class may include chicory of ir-regular form provided it is presented separately in homo-
geneous packages and fulfils all the other requirements
laid down for the class.
(iv) Class III (1):
This class includes chicory which does not qualify for inclu-
sion in the higher classes, but satisfies the requirements
defined for class II.
It may, however, have the following defects:
— be of an irregular shape,
— be greenish at the tips of the leaves,
(1) An additional class within the meaning of Article 2 (1) of
Regulation (EEC) No 1035/72. The application of this quali-t yc l a s so ro fc e r t a i no fi t sr e q u i r e m e n t si sc o n d i t i o n a lo nadecision being taken on the basis of Article 4 (1) of the sameRegulation.2213/83
1872/91
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9— show slight traces of reddish discoloration on outer
leaves.
III. PROVISIONS CONCERNING SIZING
Sizing is determined firstly by the diameter of the widest
section at right angles to the longitudinal axis, and second-
ly by length. For each class, the sizes are fixed as follows:
(cm)
Extra I II III
Minimum diameter
—chicory under
14 cm in length2,5 2,5 2,5 2,5
—chicory 14 cm
or over inlength3
3 2,5 2,5
Maximum diameter 6 8 — —
Minimum length 9 9 9(1) 9(1)
Maximum length 17 20 24 24
(1)However, chicory ranging between 6 and 12 cm in
length may be included in classes II and III, subjectto mention being made on the package of the mini-
mum and maximum length of the chicory contained
therein.
Within any one package:
(i) the maximum permissible difference in length between
the chicory sprouts is 5 cm for the ‘Extra’ class, 8 cm
for class I and 10 cm for classes II and III;
(ii) the maximum permissible difference in diameter be-
tween the chicory sprouts is 2,5 cm for the ‘Extra’class, 4 cm for class I and 5 cm for class II. No limit
is fixed for chicory in class III.
IV . PROVISIONS CONCERNING TOLERANCES
T olerances in respect of quality and size are allowed in
each package for produce not satisfying the requirements
for its class.
A.Quality tolerances
(i) ‘Extra’ class:
5 % by number or weight of chicory sprouts not satisfying
the requirements of this class but meeting the require-
ments of class I or, exceptionally, coming within the toler-
ances for that class.2213/83
2283/13 - - - I
10(ii) Class I:
10 % by number or weight of chicory sprouts not satisfy-
ing the requirements of this class but meeting the require-
ments of class II, or exceptionally coming within the toler-
ances for that class.
(iii) Class II:
10 % by number or weight of chicory sprouts satisfying
neither the requirements of this class nor the minimum re-
quirements, with the exception of produce affected by rot-
ting or any other deterioration rendering it unfit for con-
sumption.
(iv) Class III:
15 % by number or weight of chicory sprouts satisfying
neither the requirements of this class nor the minimum re-
quirements, with the exception of produce affected by rot-
ting or any other deterioration rendering it unfit for con-
sumption.
B.Size tolerances
For all classes: 10 % by number or weight of chicory
sprouts whose length and diameter are no more than 1 cm
above or below the measurements for size-grades given in
section III. No tolerances are allowed, however, in respect
of the minimum diameter.
V.PROVISIONS CONCERNING PRESENTATION
A.Uniformity
The contents of each package must be uniform and com-
prise only chicory of the same origin, variety (SIC! var-
iety,) quality and size.
Uniformity may be limited to origin and size for chicory in
class III.
The visible part of the contents of each package must be
representative of the entire contents.
B.Presentation
Chicory graded as ‘Extra’ and as classes I and II must be
put up:
— either evenly in layers,
— or in small packages.
Chicory in class II of irregular shape and chicory in class
III must be put in packages weighing 7 kilogrammes or
more.2213/83
1872/91
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11C.Packaging
The chicory must be packed in such a way as to protect
the produce properly.
If it is presented in wooden cases, it must be separated
from all the sides of the case by protective material.
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 and
particularly of paper or stamps bearing trade specifications
is allowed, provided that the printing or labelling has been
done with a non-toxic ink or glue.
Packages must be free from any 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. (SIC! outside:)
A.Identification
Packer
and/orDispatcher

Name and address or officially issued or
accepted code mark.
B.Nature of produce
Witloof or ‘witloof chicory’ if the contents are not visible
from the outside.
C.Origin of produce
Country of origin and, optionally, district where grown, or
national, regional or local place name.
D.Commercial specifications
— Class (SIC! class) and, in the case of class II, the
words ‘’irregular shape’, where applicable, and option-
ally an equivalent national description.
— maximum and minimum length for chicory in classes
II and III ranging between 6 and 12 cm in length
only.
E.Official control mark (optional)2213/83
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