6. 5. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 120/33 
information to enable them to concentrate the scope of 
their work on the essential requirements for implement­
ing the basic safety provisions of the Directives. 
12.2. The Committee calls on the Commission to 
provide, where applicable, interpretations of the essen­
tial requirements more quickly, as, until this is done, 
the standard setting process cannot begin. 
12.3. Bearing in mind, then, that in the field of 
protection of citizens' health it is the role of govern­
mental bodies to lay down, for example, maximum 
exposure levels to dangerous substances, the Committee 
would ask the Commission, once the relevant decisions 
have been taken, to supply the European standardiz-
Done at Brussels, 20 March 1991. 
I. Preliminary comments 
1. The Commission proposal does not affect process­
ing aid or the other mechanisms governing the common 
organization of the market in processed fruit and veg­
etables. 
1.1. The proposal merely makes some technical 
adjustments to take account of a) the new combined ation bodies with the relevant values and to inform 
them that the laying down of such values falls outside 
the Commissions's terms of reference. 
12.4. The Committee agrees with the Commission's 
view that it can be of great importance in the context 
of European standardization for industrial sectors to 
second experts for standardization work. Medium and 
small-sized firms, particularly in specific sectors, usually 
do not have this possibility, although they undoubtedly 
have the interest and expertise to amke a contribution. 
The Committee therefore urges the Commission and 
public authorities in general to give small and medium-
sized enterprises such support as will enable them to 
make their own contribution to standardization work. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Francois STAEDELIN 
nomenclature following the adoption of Council Regu­
lation (EEC) No 2658/87 of 23 July 1987, and b) the 
amendments which Commission Regulation (EEC) 
No 2472/90 of 31 July 1990 made to Annex I of this 
Regulation. 
1.2. The main purpose of the proposed Regulation 
is to amend Regulation (EEC) No 426/86 of 24 February 
1986 in order to include the product codes and descrip-Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) amending Regulation (EEC) No 426/ 
86 on the common organization of the market in products processed from fruit and vegetables 
(91/C 120/10) 
On 22 February 1991 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, 
under Article 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the 
abovementioned proposal. 
The Economic and Social Committee appointed Mr Pricolo as Rapporteur-General with the 
task of preparing its work on the subject. 
At its 285th plenary session (meeting of 20 March 1991), the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted the following Opinion unanimously. 
No C 120/34 Official Journal of the European Communities 6. 5. 91 
tions defined in Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 and its 
subsequent amendments on the tariff and statistical 
nomenclature. 
2. With a view to the completion of the Single Mar­
ket, the Commission also proposes abolishing the pro­
vision which allows Member States to impose national 
restrictions on citrus juice imports from third countries. 
3. Lastly, the Commission proposes to revise the list 
of 'sensitive' products which require an import licence 
before they may be released on the Community market. 
II. Specific comments 
4. The Committee agrees that the combined 
nomenclature should apply in sectors covered by the 
Common Agriculture Policy. It therefore approves the 
Commission's move to incorporate into the Regulation 
on processed fruits and vegetables the combined 
nomenclature codes laid down in Regulation (EEC) 
No 2658/87 as amended. 
4.1. This technical adjustment is necessary in order 
to ensure full, swift use of the combined nomenclature. 
It will facilitate trade and the collection of data on EC 
external trade. 
5. It is appropriate that the revised Annexes I and II 
to Regulation (EEC) No 426/86 not only amend or 
replace existing codes, but also subdivide some of the 
tariff headings to take account of new product specifi­
cations linked to new preparation and conservation 
technologies. 
Done at Brussels, 20 March 1991. 5.1. For example, in Annex I the heading 'peeled 
tomatoes, whether or not whole' is now to be divided 
into two headings: 'tomatoes, peeled, whole or in piec­
es' and 'tomatoes, not peeled, whole or in pieces'. 
5.2. A distinction is thus to be made between peeled 
and unpeeled tomatoes. 
6. The Committee is pleased that the Commission is 
to abolish the restrictions which some Member States 
still impose on imports of certain products from third 
countries. 
6.1. These restrictions, although authorized under 
Regulation (EEC) No 426/86, are incompatible with 
Community management of the common market organ­
ization and with the forthcoming single market. 
7. Finally, the Committee considers that the revised 
Annex IV provides a more appropriate arrangement 
and identification of a number of similar products 
which were not properly controlled under their initial 
classifications. 
7.1. The new Annex IV takes account of the rapid 
changes in trade, with the emergence of new products 
and new sources of Community imports. The Annex's 
extensive list should improve the market balance for 
these sensitive products. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Francois STAEDELIN