ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES 
DE LA COMMISSION 
 
 
 
COLLECTION RELIEE DES 
DOCUMENTS "COM" 
 
 
 
 
COM (85) 719 
 
 
 
Vol. 1985/0 249 
  
 
Disclaimer  
Conformém ent au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003 
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents 
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit 
règlem ent. 
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Econom ic 
Communit y and the European Atom ic Energy Communit y (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 
27.9.2003, p. 1), this file is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this 
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation. 
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom  1. 
Februar 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen 
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgem einschaft (ABI. L 43 vom  15.2.1983, 
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. Septem ber 2003 
(ABI. L 243 vom 27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit 
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5 
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben. 
COMMISSION O F THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
C0M185) 719 final  
Brussels, 6 December 1985
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL
concerning a action programme for fruit and vegetables  
Accession of Spain
C0M(85) 719 final

ACCESSION OF SPAIN
Action programme for fruit and vegetables
Under Articles 131 et seq of the Act of Accession, fruit and vegetables are 
subject to specific transitional arrangements consisting of two phases. In 
the first phase, called the "verification of convergence phase", Spain will 
progressively adjust the organization of its domestic market on the basis of 
the general objectives defined in Article 133(2) of the Act.
In accordance with Article 134 of the Act and the Joint Declaration annexed 
thereto, the Commission, in conjunction with the Spanish authorities and using 
information provided by the latter, has drawn up this programme on the basis 
of each of the general objectives mentioned above.
1. Progressive application of quality standards to all the products concerned 
and strict application of the requirements arising therefrom
In Royal Decree 2191/84 of 28 November 1984, the Spanish authorities laid 
the foundations for compulsory standardization of fruit and vegetables on 
their domestic market. This began on 1 January 1985 and already covers 
twenty-six products.
Compulsory quality standards corresponding to the Community standards will 
be applied as from 1986 on the Spanish domestic market in respect of all 
the products listed in Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1035/72 of 
18 May 1972. The application of these standards will be the subject of an 
information campaign organized by the Spanish authorities to make the 
sectors concerned aware of the need and legal obligation to market 
standardized products.
From 1986 administrative departments will be organized with the task of 
ensuring compliance with the quality standards. They will be provided 
with adequate resources and personnel to monitor their application to all 
the products concerned at the various stages of marketing (producer, 
wholesale and retail markets) and will take action in respect of any 
infringements.

-  2 -
Development of producer organizations within the meaning of Community rules
Current Spanish legislation on producer organizations privileges the legal 
status of "Agrupaciones de productores agrarios" (APA). The latter 
qualify at present for aids towards establishment in the form of 
degressive subsidies of 3, 2 and 1% of the value of production marketed by 
the organizations agent.
From 1 January 1986, Community rules on producer organizations (Articles 
13 and 14 of Regulation (EEC) 1035/72) will apply in Spain. From that 
date the Spanish authorities will implement adequate administrative 
procedures in accordance with Community provisions, to recognize producer 
groups, monitor their activities, and withdraw recognition where the 
organization fails to comply with the rules.
The Spanish authorities intend to introduce during the first phase, at a 
date that cannot be specified at present, the aid provided for m  Article 
14(4) of Regulation (EEC) No 1035/72. These aids, in the form of loans 
with special characteristics granted by the State, are intended to cover 
part of the foreseeable cost of intervention on the market carried out by 
producer organizations. .. .  ....................
Th
e Spanish authorities will also continue their information campaigns to 
encourage the establishment of producer organizations.
3. Setting up of a body and creation of a material and human infrastructure 
suitable for carrying out public intervention operations provided for 
under Community rules
The Spanish authorities do not intend to buy in products during the four 
years of the first phase. They also consider that the administrative and 
marketing infrastructure provided by the "Fondo de ordenacion y regulation 
de las producciones y precios agrarios” (FORPPA) is adequate to deal with 
any tasks resulting therefrom.

- 3 -
The Commission stresses that no later than the beginning of the second 
phase, adequate resources must be provided in Spain for the full 
application of the Community rules, including public intervention in the 
event of a serious crisis.
4. Setting up of a network for the daily recording of prices on
representative markets to be defined on the basis of the various products
The Spanish authorities have already undertaken to reorganize and provide 
resources for their daily producer and import price collection service on 
the representative markets for each of the products subject to an 
intervention price or a reference price under Community rules. Once this 
has been done, prices will be recorded by the peripheral authorities and 
the prices recorded will be forwarded to the central authorities in 
Madrid. The Spanish authorities are continuing this work actively, both 
by organizing training courses to explain how prices should be recorded 
and by completing the installation of the requisite computers in outlying 
offices.
The Spanish network should be able to begin operating in early 1986. The 
Commission should begin receiving price at the end of a six-month 
running—in period and the system should be fully operational at the end of 
1986.
5. Liberalization of trade with a view to introducing a system of free
competition and of free access to the Spanish market and of adaptation o 
the "sectoral trade adjustments" to exports in order to make them 
compatible with the requirements of freedom of movement
The Spanish trade arrangements applying at present to imports are to be 
abolished and replaced on 1 March 1986 by the Community system in 
accordance with the provisions of the Act of Accession.

- 4 -
As regards the present Spanish "sectoral trade adjustments" to exports, the 
Spanish authorities intend to adopt the requisite provisions in the first two 
years following accession in order gradually to transform the existing 
"Management Committees" for citrus fruit, tomatoes and cucumbers into trade or 
inter-trade organizations. As regards the existing "Advisory Committees" for 
14 fruit and vegetable products, the Spanish authorities intend to adopt the 
requisite provisions in the last two years of the first phase in order 
gradually to transform them into trade or joint-trade organizations.
The various bodies established as a result must be brought into line with the 
requirements of Community law no later than the end of the first phase.