2001R1543 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 002.001 — 1
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►B COMMISSIONREGULATION(EC)No1543/2001
of27July2001
laying down the marketing standard for lettuces and curled-leaved and broad-leaved (Batavian)
endives
(OJ L 203, 28.7.2001, p. 9)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►M1Commission Regulation (EC) No 46/2003 of 10 January 2003 L 7 61 11.1.2003
►M2Commission Regulation (EC) No 907/2004 of 29 April 2004 L 163 50 30.4.2004
▼B
COMMISSIONREGULATION(EC)No1543/2001
of27July2001
laying downthe marketing standardfor lettuces andcurled-leaved
andbroad-leaved(Batavian)endives
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 911/
2001 (2), and in particular Article 2(2) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)Lettuce and curly and escarole chicory are among the products
listed in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 for which stan-dards must be adopted. Commission Regulation (EEC) No 79/88
of 13 January 1988 laying down quality standards for lettuces,
curled-leaved endives, and broad-leaved (Batavian) endives (
3),
as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1455/1999 (4), has been
amended frequently and can no longer ensure legal clarity.
(2)Regulation (EC) No 79/88 should be repealed and the rules it
contains recast. To that end and in the interest of preserving
transparency on the world market, account should be taken ofthe standards for lettuces and curled-leaved and broad-leaved(Batavian) endives recommended by the Working Party on Stan-dardisation of Perishable Produce and Quality Development ofthe United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/
ECE).
(3)Application of this standard should remove products of unsatis-
factory quality from the market, bring production into line withconsumer requirements and facilitate trade based on fair compe-tition, thereby helping to improve profitability.
(4)The standard applies at all marketing stages. Long-distancetransport, storage over a certain period and the various processesthe products undergo may cause certain deterioration owing tothe biological development of the products or their relativelyperishable nature. Account should be taken of such deteriorationwhen applying the standard at the marketing stages following
dispatch.
(5)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 the following products shall be as set out in
the Annex:
— lettuces, falling within CN codes 0705 11 and 0705 19,
— curled-leaved and broad-leaved (Batavian) endives, falling within
CN code 0705 29.
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 and2001R1543 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 002.001 — 2
(1) OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 129, 11.5.2001, p. 3.
(3) OJ L 10, 14.1.1988, p. 8.
(4) OJ L 167, 2.7.1999, p. 22.
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turgidity, as well as slight deterioration due to their development and
their tendency to perish.
Article 2
Regulation (EEC) No 79/88 is repealed.
Article 3
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following its
publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities .
It shall apply from 1 January 2002.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable
in all Member States.2001R1543 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 002.001 — 3
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ANNEX
STANDARD FOR LETTUCES, CURLED-LEAVED ENDIVES AND
BROAD-LEAVED(BATAVIAN)ENDIVES
I. DEFINITION OF PRODUCE
This standard applies to:
— lettuces of varieties (cultivars) grown from:
—Lactuca sativa L. var.capitataL. (head (cabbage) lettuces including
crisphead and ‘Iceberg’ type lettuces).
—Lactuca sativa L. var.longifolia Lam. (Cos or Romaine lettuces),
—Lactuca sativa L. var.crispaL. (leaf lettuces) and
— crosses of these varieties,
— curled-leaved endives of varieties (cultivars) grown from C ichorium
endiviaL. var.crispumLam.,
— broad-leaved (Batavian) endives (escaroles) of varieties (cultivars)
grown from Cichorium endivia L. var.latifolium Lam.,
to be supplied freshto th e consumer.This standard does not apply to produce for industrial processing, produce
presented as individual leaves or lettuces in pots.
II. PROVISIONS CONCERNING QUALITY
The purpose of the standard is to define the quality requirements for
products after preparation and packaging.
A.Minimumrequirements
In all classes, subject to the special provisions for each class and the
tolerances allowed, the produce must be:
— intact,
— sound; produce affected by rotting or deterioration suchas to make
it unfit for consumption is excluded,
— clean and trimmed, i.e. practically free from all earthor oth er
growing medium and practically free of any visible foreign matter,
— freshin appearance,
— turgescent,
— practically free from pests,— practically free from damage caused by pests,
— not running to seed,
— free of abnormal external moisture,
— free of any foreign smell and/or taste.
In the case of lettuce, a reddish discolouration, caused by low tempera-
ture during growth, is allowed, unless it seriously affects the appearance
of the produce.
The roots must be cut close to the base of the outer leaves and the cut
must be neat.
The produce must be of normal development.
The development and condition of the procedure must be such as to
enable it:
— to withstand transport and handling, and
— to arrive in a satisfactory condition at the place of destination.
B.Classification
Products are classified in two classes defined below:
(i)Class I
Produce in this class must be of good quality. It must be character-
istic of the variety or commercial type, especially the colour.
The produce must also be:
— well formed,
— firm, taking into account the cultivation methods and the type of
produce,2001R1543 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 002.001 — 4
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— free from damage or deterioration impairing edibility,
— free from frost damage.
Head lettuces must have a single well-formed heart. However, in
the case of head lettuces grown under protection, the heart may be
small.
Cos lettuces must have a heart, which may be small.The centre of curled-leaved endives and broad-leaved (Batavian)
endives must be yellow in colour.
(ii)Class II
This class includes produce which does not qualify for inclusion in
Class I, but satisfies the minimum requirements specified above.
The produce must be:
— reasonably well formed,
— free from damage and deterioration which may seriously impair
edibility.
The following defects may be allowed provided the produce retain
their essential characteristics as regards the quality, the keeping
quality and presentation:
— slight defects in colouring,
— slight damage caused by pests.
Head lettuces must have a heart, which may be small. However, in
the case of head lettuces grown under protection, absence of heart is
permissible.
Cos lettuces may show no heart.
III. PROVISIONS CONCERNING SIZING
Size is determined by the weight of one unit.
A.Minimumweight
The minimum weight for Classes I and II is:
Open-grownGrown under protec-
tion
Head lettuces (excluding crisphead and ‘Iceberg’
type lettuces) and Cos or Romaine lettuces
(excluding ‘Little gem’ type lettuces)150 g 100 g
Crisphead and ‘Iceberg’ type lettuces 300 g 200 g
Leaf lettuces and ‘Little gem’ type lettuces 100 g 100 gCurled-leaved endives and broad-leaved (Bata-
vian) endives200 g 150 g
B.Uniformity
(a) Lettuces
In all classes, the difference between the lightest and heaviest units
in eachpackage must not exceed:
— 40 g when the lightest units weighs less than 150 g per unit,
— 100 g when the lightest unit weighs between 150 g and 300 g
per unit,
— 150 g when the lightest unit weighs between 300 g and 450 g
per unit,
— 300 g when the lightest unit weighs more than 450 g per unit.
(b) Curled-leaved and broad-leaved (Batavian) endives
In all classes, the difference between the lightest and heaviest units
in eachpackage must not exceed 300 g.2001R1543 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 002.001 — 5
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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 of units 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 of units 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
In all classes, 10 % by number of units not satisfying the requirements
as regards sizing, but weighing no more than 10 % over or under the
size in question.
V. PROVISIONS CONCERNING PRESENTATION
A.Unformity
The contents of each package must be uniform and contain only produce
of the same origin, variety or commercial type, quality and size.
However, a mixture of the various types of produce described in this
standard may be packed together, provided they are uniform in quality
and, for each type concerned, in size. In addition, the types should be
clearly distinguishable from one another and the proportion of each
type in the package should be visible without damaging the package.
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 produce must be packaged in such a way as to protect it 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.
C.Presentation
Produce presented in more than one layer may be packed base-to-heart
provided the layers or heads are suitably protected or separated.
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.2001R1543 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 002.001 — 6
(1) OJ L 7, 11.1.2003, p. 65.▼M1
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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
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
— ‘Lettuces’, ‘Butterhead lettuces’, ‘Batavia’, ‘Crisphead lettuces
(Iceberg)’, ‘Cos lettuces’, ‘Leaf lettuce’ (or, for example and if
appropriate, ‘Oak leaf’, ‘Lollo bionda’, ‘Lollo rossa’, ‘Curled-leaved
endives’ or ‘Broad-leaved (Batavian) endives’ or other synonyms if
the contents are not visible from the outside
— ‘Little gem’ where appropriate or other synonyms— An indication ‘grown under protection’, or other appropriate indica-
tion, where appropriate
— Name of the variety (optional)
— Where different types of produce are mixed together:
— the indication ‘Mixed salads’, or,
— the indication of each type of produce, and, where the contents
are not visible from the outside, the indication of the number ofpieces of eachtype.
C.Origin ofproduce
— Country of origin and, optionally, district where grown, or national,
regional or local place name.
D.Commercial specifications
— Class
— Size, expressed by the minimum weight per unit or the number of
units
— Net weight (optional),
E.Official control mark (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 freefrom 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.2001R1543 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 002.001 — 7
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