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COM(74)788
Vol.1974/0120

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COMMISSION GFTHEEUROEBAN COMMUN3IÎES
COM(74)783Final
Brussels,29May1974
ProposalforaCouncilDecisionontheacceptanceofcertain
Codexstandardsforsugarsintendedforhumanconsumption
(submittedtotheCouncil "bytheCommission)
COM(74)788Final

Explanatory Memorandum
1.TheCodexAlimentariusCommission(JointFAO/KHOfoodstandardsprogramme)
hasinthepastadopted,atStep8oftheProcedurefortheElaboration
ofCodexStandards,severalrecommendedinternational standardsfor
sugarsintendedforhumanconsumption .Thesestandardshavebeen
transmittedatStep9of"thesaidProceduretothemembersandassociate
membersofFAOand/orWHOandtointerestedinternationalorganisations .
TheEEChasreceivedtheminthelattercapacity.
Thestandardscoverinteralia,semi-*whitesugar("whiteplantation
sugar")or"whiterefinerysugar"),whitesugar,glucosesyrup,dried
glucosesyrup,dextrosemonohydrate anddextroseanhydrous.
2.ThesesugarsarealsocoveredbytheCouncilDirective(l)of11December
1973ontheapproximation ofthelawsoftheMemberStatesconcerning
certainsugarsintendedforhumanconsumption .
3.ComparisionoftheCodexstandardswiththeCommunityprovisions shows
thatthereisagreatsimilaritybetweenthem.
ThefewpointsatwhichtheydifferarelistedintheAnnextothis
proposalforaDecision.
Thedifferences donotpreventtheCommunityfromapprovingthevarious
standardsinquestion,whilemaintainingitsownlegislation unchanged.
TheCommunitylegislationisinfactveryrecentandwa3adoptedinthe
lightofthestandardsdrawnuppreviouslybytheCodex,whichserved
asamodelfortheCommunityprovisions.However,itwasimpossible ,
mainlyforhealthreasons,toadopttheCodexstandardsastheystood
anditwasaccordinglynecessarytomakecertainslightderogations.
■/.
(1)OJNoL356,27.12.1973.p.71

TheCommunity'sapprovalshouldtaketheformofacceptanceofthe
standards.UndertheProcedurefortheElaboration ofWorldwideCodex
Standards,thesestandardsmaynotbepublishedintheCodexAlimentarius –
thatistosay,theynaynotbecomeeffective-unlesstheCodex
Commissionconsidersthisadvisableinthelightoftheacceptances
received.
4.1InthepresentcaseitisfortheEuropeanEconomicCommunityto
decidewhethertoacceptthestandards,sincetheprovisionsgovern­
ingtheproductstowhichtheyrelatearepartoftheCommunity
legalsystem.
4«2TheGeneralPrinciplesoftheCodexAlimentarius provideforseveral
methodsofacceptingtheCodexstandards.Atthefourthmeeting
oftheCodexCommitteeontheGeneralPrinciples ,heldinParisfrom
4to8March1974ii"twasagreedtoproposethattheCodexCommission
createanev;formofacceptance ,tobeknownas"acceptancesubject
tospecifiedderogations".TheCodexCommissionisalmostcertain
toapprovethisproposalatitsnextmeetinginJuly1974®
Thisnewmethodshouldbeadoptedinthepresentcasesinceit
enablestheCommunitytocontinuetoapplyitsownlegislation.
4.3Moreover,Communityacceptanceofthestandardscannot'.take
effectbeforethedateonwhichtheDirectiveof11Deceiaber1S73
isapplied.UnderthesecondsentenceofArticle1}ofthat
Directive,thelatterwillbecomeeffectivetwoyearsafterits
notification ,thatistosay,on12December1975*

5.AtinternalCommunitylevelacceptanceofthestandardsissubjectto
aCouncildecision.Thisdecisionmaybe"basedonArticle113ofthe
EECTreatyfor,sinceitsmainobjectiveistopromoteinternational
trade,itcomesunderthecommoncommercialpolicy.
AlthoughCommunitymeasuresinthefoodstuffsfieldareaimedin
particularatprotectingpublichealth,intheinterestsoflegal
efficiencysuchprotectionshouldbeensuredbymeanstoCommunityrules,
suchas,forexample,theDirectiveof11December1973(th;;provisions
ofwhichareunchanged).Ofitself,acceptanceofthestandardsdoes
notincreasethisprotection,butpursuesaneconomicobjective,i.e.
th3promotionoftrade.Thismalcesitpossibletoinvoketheprovisions
relatingtothecommercialpolicy.
6.TheConrushionalsocallsupontheCounciltoapprovetheattached
draftofalettertotheDirectorGeneralofFAO.
ThisletteristoinformFAOofthedecisionacceptingthestandardsin
questionandofthederogationsspecifiedinthisConnection.
Italsorepliestothetwoquestionsprovidedforinthetextdefining
theformofacceptancesubjecttospecifiedderogations ,i.e.
-*whetherproductswhichcomplyfullywiththestandardmaybedistri–,
butedfreelywithintheCommunity,and
–whethertheCommunityexpectstobeabletoacceptthestandards
withoutreservation and,ifso,when.
Theanswertoboththesequestionsisnegative,since,asindicatedin
point3above,thederogationsinquestionarebasedmainlyonhealth
considerations .
7.TheCommissionwouldliketheCounciltoreachadecisioninsufficient
timeforittobecommunicated toFAObeforethenextmeetingofthe
CodexCommissionwhichisduetobeheldfrom1to12July1974inRome.

ProposalforaCouncilDecisionontheacceptanceofcertainCodex
standardsforsugarsintendedforhumanconsumption
THECOUNCILOPTHEEUROPEANCOMMUNITIES ,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishing theEuropeanEconomicCommunity,
andinparticularArticle113thereof;
HavingregardtotheproposalfromtheCommission ;
WhereastheCouncilDirective(l)of11December1973ontheapproximation
ofthelawsoftheMemberStatesconcerningcertainsugarsintendedfor
humanconsumptiondeterminesatCommunityleveltherulesconcerningthe
composition ,manufacturing specifications ,labellingandpackingofinter
alia,semi-whitesugar,whitesugar,glucosesyrup,driedglucosesyrup,
dextrosemonohydrate anddextroseanhydrous;
Whereas,moreover,theCodexAlimentarius Commissionhasinthepast
adoptedseveralrecommendedinternational standardsforthesametypeof
sugar;
WhereasthereisagreatsimilaritybetweentheCommunityrulesandthe
CodexstandardsandtheCommunityisthereforeabletoapprovethesaid
standardswithoutamendingitsownlegislation ;whereastheproposed
derogations fromtheCodexstandardsin;Communitylegislationaremostly
motivatedbyhealthconsiderations ;
WhereasacceptanceoftheCodexstandardscontributestotheexpansionof
international trade;
WhereastheprovisionsoftheDirectiveunderconsideration mustbeapplied
twoyearsfollowingitsnotification ,thatistosay,after12December 1973»
andconsequently theacceptanceoftheCodexstandardscannottakeeffect
untilthatdate;
(1)OJNoL356,27.12.1973,p.71

2-
EASADOPTEZ )TELSDECISION:
Article 1
1.TheEuropeanEconomicCommunityherebyacceptsthefollowingrecommended
international standardsadoptedbytheCodexA1inentariusCommission :
–Recommendedinternational standardforwhitesugar(CAC/RS4–1969)
–Recommendedinternational standardforglucosesyrup(CAC/RS9-1969)
–Recommendedinternational standardfordriedglucosesyrup(CAC/RS10–1969)
–Recommendedinternational standardfordextrosemonoliydrate (.CAC/RS0-1969)
.–Recommendedinternational standardfordextroseanhydrous(CAC/RS7–1969)'
2.AcceptanceissubjecttothederogationsspecifiedintheAnnex.
Article2
ThisDacisionshalltakeeffecton12December -1973•
DoneatBrussels. ,PortheCouncil
ThePrésident

AICTEX
ComparisonoftheCommunityruleswithcertain
standardsrelatingtosugarsat9

I.Recommendedartemationalstandardforwhitesugar(atStep9ofthe
ProcedurefortheElaborationofWorldwideStandards)(CAC/RS4–1969)•
TheCommunitydefinessemi-whitesugarandsugarorwhitesugar.
TheformercorrespondstoSpecifications A(3•1)oftheCodexstandard,and
thelattertoSpécifications B(3.2)
3.Essentialcomposition andqualityfactors
3.1Spécification A
3.1.3Conductivity ash:
TheCommunitydoesnotconsideritnecessarytoadoptthis
criterionforsugarorwhitesugar.
3.1.5Colours:TheCommunitydefinesanequivalentcriterion,
i.e.colourtype,whichmustequalnotmorethan12points,
whereonepointcorrespondsto"0.5unitsdeterminedaccording
tothemethodoftheBrunswickInstituteforAgricultural
andSugarIndustryTechnologydescribedinSectionA(2)of
theAnnextoCommissionRegulation(EEC)Uo1265/69(l)of
1July1969establishingmethodsfordeterminingthequality
ofsugarboughtinbyintervention agencies.
3«2Spécification B
3«2o3Conductivity ash:
3.2.5Colour
TheCommunitydoesnotconsideritnecessarytoadoptthese
twocriteriainthecaseofsemi–whitesugar.However,in
practicetheCodexSpecifications maybeconsideredtobe
equivalenttotheCommunityones.
4»Foodadditives
4«1Sulphurdioxide
Spécification A
Spécification B
Forhealthreasons,theCommunityrulesprescribeamaximumcontentof
15rag/kg.However,untiltheer^dof1978MemberStatesmaycontinueto
(1)OJN°L163of4/7/1969,P.1•/

-•?-
applynationalprovisionsauthorising aresidualsulphurdioxidecontent
ofupto20tag/kginrespectofproductsmarketedintheirterritory.
5.Contaminants
6.Hygiene
TheCommunityspecifiesthattheseproductsmust.beof.soundandfair
marketablequality,butdoesnotlaydonaany..criteria.
7.Labelling
7.1Description oftheproduct
Thedescriptions ofthestandardised productsinthevarious
officialCommunitylanguagesareasfollows:
.French.:..sup;reorsucreblanc.(Spécification A)
... _ ...sucremi–blanc(Spécification B)
""German ZuekerorWeisszucker
" ' 'Halbweisszucker'
English:Sugarorwhitesugar
Semi-whitesugar
Italian :Zuccheroorzuccherobianco
Zuccherodifabbrica
Dutch :Suikerorwittesuiker
Halfwittosuiker
Danish sSukkerorhvidtsukker
Halvhvidtsukker
Thedescription "sugarorwhitesugar"mayalso,be.usedto
"extrawhitesugar". . ......
Inadditiontotheobligatorydescription ,theproductsdefined
maybearotherdescriptions currentinthevariousMemberStairs
providedthatthelatterdescriptions arenotliabletomislead
consumers .
./•

Met content
Under Community rules ,-theproducts must "beoffered forsale at
thefollowing netweights :125g ,250g,500g ,750g ,1kg,1.5kg ,
2kg ,-2.5kg ,"3kg ,4kgand5kg .
Iftheproducts areoffered forsale in "pieces orinsmall
sachets theindication ofnetweight maybereplaced bythat of
theminimum netweight .
Moreover ,theindication ofnetweight ishotrequired ifthe
products weigh less t&aai -50g.""Thifl "'excepti<5n does not'apply to
products weighing less than 50geach presented inpackages contain­
ingtwoormore such products whose netweight inclusive of
packaging isnotless than 50g ,inwhich case thetotal netweight
oftheproducts contained intheouter package must beindicated
thereon """
Inrespect ofproducts made upinto packages orincontainers of
anetweight equal toorexceeding 10kg which are .notoffered for
retail sale ,theindication ofnet ,weight mayifdesired appear
only ontheaccompanying documents .
pitheinterests ofmarket .transparency andtoenable consumers
tobecome familiar with theprescribed scjale >ofweights ,ona
transitional basis weights ,netorgross ,other ,than those mentioned
above shall also beallowed if .these weights comply with the
national provisions inforce or .with practices existing atthetime
ofnotification ofthe rules . ■ >
Kame and address
TheCommunity rules make compulsory thefollowing information :
"thename ortrade name andtheaddress orregistered office of
themanufacturer orpacker ,Orofaseller established within
theCommunity ",

-4-
7.4Countryoforigin
Thisinformationisoptional,althoughitmustnotberequired
forproductsmanufactured withintheCommunity.
8.Methodsofanalysisandsanrpling
MethodsofcontrolarebeingstudiedintheCommunity.Consequently ,
themethodsproposedintheCodexstandardcannotbeacceptedat
present.
II.Recommendedinternational standardforglucosesyrup(atStep9ofthe
ProcedurefortheElaborationofWorldwideStandards)(CAC/RS9–19^5)and
[II.Recommendedstandardfordriedglucoses.ygap(atStep9of"theProcsdure
fortheElaborationofWorldwideStandards)(CAC/RS1969)
3»Foodadditives
3.1Sulphurdioxide
ForhealthreasonsttheCommunityprescribesamaximumresidual
contentof20mg/kg.However,acontentof40mg/kgisauthorised
until1977forproductswhicharenotintendedforretailsale.
TheMemberStatesmay,inaccordancewithnationalprovisions
governingthesefoodstuffs,andwithoutprejudicetoCommunity
provisions,fixthetolerancesforglucosesyrupofferedforsale
intheirownterritoryatmorethan20mg/kg,butnotmorethan
400mg/kg(andnotmorethan150nig/kginthecaseofdried
glucosesyrup)providedthatthesetolerancesarejustifiedby
technological requirements .
4.Contaminants
5.Hygiene
IheCommunityrulesdonotlaydowncriteriainthisconnection .

-5
6.Labelling
6.1Description oftheproduct
TheCommunitylaysdownthefollowingprovisions ;
Wheretheresidualsulphurdioxidecontentexceeds20mg/kg,the
description "glucosesyrup"ordriedglucosesyrup"isfollowed
byareferencetothefoodstuffforthemanufactureofwhichit
isintended,themaximumsulphurdioxidecontentoftheproduct
beingindicatedontheaccompanying documents.
6.2Netcontents )Thederogationsspecifiedin
6.3Nameandaddress )connectionwiththeinternational
6.4Countryoforigin )standardforwhitesugarapply
7.Methodsofanalysisandsampling)herealso.
IV.Recommendedinternational standardfordextrosemonohydrate (atStep9of
theProcedurefor.theElaborationofWorldwideStandards)(CAC/RS8–1969)and
V.Recommendedinternational standardfordextroseanhydrous (atStep9of
theProcedurefortheElaborationofWorldwideStandards)(CAC/RS7-1969)
3.Foodaddrfcives
Forhealthreasons,theCommunityrulesprescribeamaximumresidual
contentof15mg/kg.However,until1979MemberStatesmaycontinue
toapplynationalprovisionsauthorisingaresidualsulphurdioxide
contentofupto20mg/kginrespectofproductsmarketedintheir
territory.
Contaminants )Theremarksmadeunderthese
Hygiene )headingsinconnectionwith
Labelling: )therecommendedinternational
–theexpressions "monohydratesnand)*standardforwhitesugaralso
"anhydrous"areoptionalinthe)applyhere.territory.
4»Contaminants
5.Hygiene
6.Labelling :
–theexpressions "monohydrate snand
"anhydrous"areoptionalinthe
Community
–iftheproductisofferedforsale
inpiecesorinsmallsachets,the
indicationofnetweightmaybe
replacedbythatoftheminimum
netweight
7.Methodsofanalysisandsampling

Provisions notcontainedinCodexstandardsItoV
A.Theproductscoveredbythestandardstinderconsideration
-maynotbesubmittedtotheblueingprocess,
–maycontaincolorantsinsofarastheyareintendedforvise
inotherfoodstuffs ,inaccordancewiththeprovisionsapplicable
tothesaidfoodstuffsandtotheuseofcolouringagentstherein.
Thequalifyingexpression "includescolouringagents"isobligatory
inthedescriptionofproductscontainingcolouringagentsandthe
term"white"isprohibitedinthiscase.
B.MemberStatesmayprohibittrade<?ntheirterritoryintheproducts
definedifthedescriptions thereofand–inthecaseofglucose
syrupand.driedglucosesyrupcontainingmorethan20mg/kgof
sulphurdioxide~thedescriptionoftheproductfollowedbya
referencetothefoodstuffforthemanufacture ofwhichitisintended,
arenotshowninthenationallanguageorlanguagesononesideofthe
wrappingorcontaineror,inthecaseofproductsraadeupintopackages
orcontainersofanetweightequaltoorexceeding10kgandnot
offeredforretailsale,ontheaccompanying documents.

Draft ofaletter from the Member ofthe Commission
responsible totheDirector General ofPAO
Dear Sir ,
Subject :Recommended international standards for
–white sugar andwhite plantation sugar
–glucose syrup
–dried glucose syrup
–dextrose monohydrate
–dextrose anhydrous
Ihave thehonour toforward toyouunder cover ofthis letter aDecision
oftheCouncil oftheEuropean Communities dated bywhich the
European Economic Community accepts theabove recommended international
standards .
This acceptance issubject tothederogations specified intheAnnex to
theDecision .Itwill take effect on12December 1973 *when theCommunity
legislation governing sugars covered bythestandards inquestion will
beapplied .
Ifurther inform youthat
–those sugars which ,although they comply with thevarious standards
inquestion ,fail tosatisfy arequirement ofCommunity law ,cannot
beputonthemarket within theCommunity ,
-theCommunity does notexpect tobeable toaccept thesaid standards
without reservation .
However ,theCommunity remains prepared tocollaborate intheapproximation
ofnational regulations andtotake part inanyfuture discussions concern­
ingthesectors under consideration .
Yours faithfully ,