30.11.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC313/19
OpinionontheCommunication fromtheCommissionconcerningaqualitypolicyforfishery
products
(92/C313/09)
On5March1992theCouncildecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee ,
underArticle198oftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity,onthe
Communication fromtheCommissionconcerningaqualitypolicyforfisheryproducts
TheSectionforAgricultureandFisheries,whichwasresponsibleforpreparingtheCom­
mittee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon10September1992.TheRapporteur
wasMrWick.
Atits299thPlenarySession(meetingof23September )theEconomicandSocialCommittee
adoptedthefollowingOpinion.
1.TheCommitteenotestheCommissionCommuni­
cation,whichseekstoimprovethequalityoffishery
productsbymeansofspecificlegalprovisionsgoing
beyondthepresentrules.TheCommitteewelcomesthe
Commission'saimofraisingtheaverageproducerprice
andthusfishermen'sincomesbyimprovingthequality
offisheryproducts.
2.GeneralcommentsDirective91/492/EECof15July1991layingdownthe
healthconditionsfortheproductionandtheplacing
onthemarketoflivebivalvemolluscs.
2.7.FishfarmingiscoveredbyCouncilDirective
91/67/EECof28January1991concerningtheanimal
healthconditionsgoverningtheplacingonthemarket
ofaquacultureanimalsandproducts.
2.8.TheCommission nowwantstointroducea
schemeauthorizingproducerstouseaspeciallabelor
markforspecificproducts,whichwillconsequentlybe
distinguishable asofhighqualityandsecureahigher
price.
2.9.TheCommitteepointsouttheneedtoavoid
confusionbetweenthisqualityconcept(e.g.as
regardswetfish)andcommercialstandardswhichalso
containqualitycriteria.
2.10.TheCommitteenotesthatthecorresponding
proposalsforagriculturalproductscannotbetaken
overlock,stockandbarrelforfisheryproducts.
2.11.TheProposalforaCouncilRegulationonthe
protectionofgeographicalindicationsanddesignations
oforiginforagriculturalproductsandfoodstuffs(l)can
hardlybeappliedtofish.Geographicalindicationsand
designationsoforiginaregenerallynotappropriatefor
fish,sincethesemoveaboutveryfreelyintheopensea
andarenotalwayscaughtintheirnormalhabitat.
Thereshould,however,beadesignationoforiginwher­
everthisispossibleandcanbemonitored .
2.12.AccountshouldalsobetakenoftheCom­
mittee'sOpinionontheProposalforaCouncilRegu­
lationoncertificatesofspecificcharacterforfood­
stuffs(2).ThisOpinionreferstotheproblemofquality
definitionandtheintroductionofacommonlabel.The
Committeerecommendsthatitsgeneralcommentson
theintroduction ofacommonlabelbetakeninto
accountwhentheestablishmentofaqualitymarkfor
fishisunderconsideration .2.1.TheCommissionwants(a)toimprovequalityin
theinterestsofconsumersand(b)toboostfishermen's
potentialearnings.
2.2.Catchesofthemainfishvarietieshavecontrac­
tedasaresultofexcesscapacityinfisheryfleets.Stocks
mustthereforebemanagedrigorouslyviaTACsand
quotas.
2.3.Thisfallincatches—atatimewhenpricesare
stable—meansthatfishermen'sincomesarecon­
tracting.
2.4.Establishingadditionalqualitystandardsshould
enablefishermentoobtainhigherpricesfortheirprod­
uctsonthemarket.
2.5.Commercialstandardsandpricingruleshave
alreadybeenprescribedbyRegulation103/76of
19January1976layingdowncommonmarketingstan­
dardsforcertainfreshorchilledfish,andbyRegulation
104/76layingdowncommonmarketingstandardsfor
shrimpsofthegenusCrangonsp.p.
2.6.Minimumpublic-healthrequirementsarepre­
scribedbyDirective91/493/EECof22July1991laying
downthehealthconditionsfortheproductionandthe
placingonthemarketoffisheryproducts,andby(1)OJNoC269,14.10.1992.
(2)OJNoC40,17.2.1992.

NoC313/20 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 30.11.92
izationforfisheryproducts.Anewlegalframework
shouldbeavoided.
3.2.2.2.Qualityisarelativeconcept.Itistherefore
necessarytobeginbyestablishingaprecisedefinition.
Consumerexpectationsareamajoraspect,thoughthey
maydifferfromoneareaoftheCommunitytoanother.
3.2.2.3.Objectivecriteriasuchasfreshness,smell,
firmnessandappearancemustbeusedtoestablisha
generaldefinitionofquality.Inthisconnectionthe
Sectionwouldalsorefertothecommentsunder3.2.9.1,
pointingoutthattherecognizedqualityshouldbemain­
tainedatallmarketingandprocessingstagesrightup
tothetimetheproductreachestheconsumer;otherwise
theaimofimprovedpricesfortheproducerwillnot
bewarranted .
3.2.2.4.Inthecaseofprocessedfishsuchasfrozen,
deepfrozenandcannedfish,thesecriteriawillhaveto
beobservedfromtheprocessingstage.
3.2.2.5.Emphasismustbeputonensuringthatfish
ofahigherqualityisofferedtoconsumers.Butthis
mustnotdisadvantagelandingareaswhichareremote
fromthemarket.
3.2.2.6.Theprinciplesofthehygieneandmarketing
standardsmustbecompliedwith.Butfurtherstipu­
lationsmustbeadded,inordertoboostquality.3.Specificcomments
3.1.PartI—Presentsituation
3.1.1.I.1Environment
3.1.1.1.Whendescribingtheenvironmental situ­
ation,itisimportanttonotethatmarinepollutiondoes
notjustdamagethebiologicalstructureofstocksbut
canalsoinfluencefishquality.
3.1.1.2.TheCommitteepointsoutthatthequality
offarmedfishisinfluencednotonlybywaterquality
butalsobythewayfisharekeptandthefeedused.
3.1.2.I.2Hygieneprovisions
3.1.2.1.TheCommitteesuggeststhattheDirective
concerningtheanimalhealthconditionsgoverningthe
placingonthemarketofaquacultureanimalsandprod­
uctsbeaddedtothelistoflegalinstrumentson
hygiene.ThisDirectivehasanimpactonthequalityof
aquacultureproducts.
3.1.2.2.TheCommitteeexpresslywelcomesthe
adoptionoftheDirective(2)layingdowntheminimum
hygienerulesapplicabletofisheryproductscaughton
boardcertainvessels.
3.1.3.II.1Rulesforclassification incom­
mercialcategories
3.1.3.1.TheCommitteereiteratesthatthequality
definitionmustnotbeconfusedwithcommercialstan­
dards(seecommentsunder2.9).
3.2.Part2—Outlook
3.2.1.Environment
3.2.1.1.TheCommitteeconsidersthatitisvitalto
improveinternationalcooperationinordertoupgrade
themarineenvironment .Inthisconnectionprogress
needstobeachievedinboththeConferenceonthe
protectionoftheNorthSeaandtheHelsinkiConfer­
enceontheBaltic.
3.2.1.2.Inthecaseofaquaculture,furtherenviron­
mentalinfluencessuchasfeedandrearingmethods
mustbetakenintoaccount.Sincefishisanunprocessed
naturalproduct,environmental aspectsmustbegiven
priority.
3.2.2.Marketing
3.2.2.1.Additionalqualityprovisionsshouldeither
buildonexistingprovisionsorfallwithintheframe­
workoftheRegulationonthecommonmarketorgan­3.2.3.I.1Aimsofaspecialqualitypolicy
forfisheryproducts
3.2.3.1.TheCommitteeconsidersthataquaculture
problemsshouldbementionedunder'thespecificnatu­
reoffisheries'.
3.2.3.2.TheCommitteeendorsestheCommission's
aimofraisingtheaverageproducerpriceandthus
fishermen'sincomesbyimprovingthequalityoffishery
products.
3.2.3.3.TheCommitteeneverthelesspointsoutthat
thisiscontingentonconsumers'willingnesstopayan
appropriatepriceforspeciallymarkedproducts.The
Sectionconsidersthattheproposedmeasuresshould
bebackedupbyadequateconsumerinformationon
thevalueoffish.
3.2.4.I.2Speciallegalframework for
fisheries
3.2.4.1.Inconnectionwiththeconservation and
managementofstocks,theCommitteereferstoits
OpinionconcerningtheCommissionReporttothe
CouncilandtheParliamentontheCommonFisheries(!)OJNoL46,19.2.1992,p.1.
(2)OJNoL187,16.6.1992,p.41.

30.11.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC313/21
Policy(1).Inaddition,theCommitteeiscurrentlydraft­
inganOpinionontheProposalforaRegulationonthe
commonmarketorganizationforfisheryproducts(2).
3.2.4.2.TheCommitteeconsidersthatthepresent
budgetforCFPstructuralpolicymustnotbeusedto
fundinvestmentaidsaspartofanewqualitypolicy.
Additionalfundingmustbeprovided.
3.2.5.I.3Theaimsofaqualitypolicy
3.2.5.1.TheCommitteenotesthattheexisting
hygieneprovisionsprovideaminimumlevelofprotec­
tionforconsumers'health.
3.2.5.2.TheCommitteealsonotesthatthecommon
marketingstandardslaiddownbyRegulationsNos.
103/76and104/76asamendedarecommercialstan­
dardsintendedtosimplifytradeandpricing.
3.2.5.3.TheCommitteewelcomestheintentionto
improveproducers'incomesbyimprovingqualityand
thusprices.
3.2.6.II.Community instruments
3.2.6.1.TheCommitteehasdoubtsastowhethera
Community-wide procedurefortherecognitionofthe
qualityoffishandfisheryproductsisfeasible.
3.2.6.2.TheCommitteeconsidersthathighaidper­
centagesshouldbeavailableforinvestmentschemes
designedtoimprovequality.
3.2.7.II.1Community scheme for
officiallyrecognizing quality
infisheryproducts
3.2.7.1.TheCommittee recommends thatthe
schemebebasedontheRegulationonthecommon
marketorganizationforfisheryproducts.3.2.8.II.1.1Productionquality
3.2.8.1.TheCommitteehasdoubtsastowhether
qualitycriteriaatproducerlevelcanbedefinedand
implementedbymeansofregisteredlistsofspecifi­
cations.Suchlistswouldalsohavetobemonitoredat
regularintervals.Themonitoringwouldhavetobe
donebytheexistingadministrative authorities,sinceit
wouldbeexpensivetosetupaspecialmonitoring
agency.Ifregisteredlistsofspecifications areintro­
duced,uniformcriteriafortheselists(includingthe
financialarrangements )shouldbeincorporatedinthe
Regulationonthecommonorganizationofthemarket
infisheryproducts.
3.2.9.II.1.2Qualityduringthevarious
stagesofmarketing
3.2.9.1.TheCommitteeconsidersittobeextremely
importantthattherecognizedqualityshouldbemain­
tainedatallmarketingandprocessingstagesrightup
tothetimetheproductreachestheconsumer;otherwise
theaimofimprovedpricesforproducerswillnotbe
justified.
3.2.10.II.2Incentives underthestructur­
alsectionofthecommon
fisheriespolicy
3.2.11.II.2.1Investment
3.2.11.1.TheCommitteereiteratestheneedtopro­
videadditionalfundsforinvestmentinqualityimprove­
ment.
3.2.12.II.2.2Research
3.2.12.1.TheCommitteeendorsestheproposalto
launchprogrammesofquality-related researchintothe
handlingoffishonvessels,andalsointofurtherpro­
cessing,storageandtransport.
3.2.13.II.2.3Training
3.2.13.1.TheCommitteelikewiseendorsesthepro­
posaltoimprovetraining.Inparticular,itisnecessary
toprovidemoreintensivetraininginthehandlingof
fishonvessels,duringthevariousmarketingstages
andinthecateringtrade,andalsoinprocessingand
transport.Appropriatetrainingprogrammesshouldbe
developed.
3.2.13.2.Inthisconnection,theCommitteealsocon­
sidersitnecessarytoimproveconsumerinformation
aboutthequalityoffishandfisheryproducts.(!)OJNoC223,31.8.1992.
(2)SeefollowingopinioninthisOJ.
DoneatBrussels,23September1992.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
MichaelGEUENICH