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Article 11 of Regulation No 2200/96 provided: ‘1. For the purposes of this Regulation, “producer organisation” means any legal entity: (a) which is formed on the own initiative of growers of the following categories of product listed in Article 1(2): (i) fruit and vegetables; (ii) fruit; (iii) vegetables; (iv) products intended for processing; (v) citrus fruit; (vi) nuts; (vii) mushrooms; (b) which has in particular the aim of: (1) ensuring that production is planned and adjusted to demand, particularly in terms of quality and quantity; (2) promoting concentration of supply and the placing on the market of the products produced by its members; (3) reducing production costs and stabilising producer prices; (4) promoting the use of cultivation practices, production techniques and environmentally sound waste-management practices in particular to protect the quality of water, soil and landscape and preserve and/or encourage biodiversity; (c) the rules of association of which require its producer members, in particular, to: (1) apply the rules adopted by the producer organisation relating to production reporting, production, marketing and protection of the environment; (2) belong to only one of the producer organisations referred to in point (a) in respect of a given holdings production of one of the categories of product listed in point (a); (3) market their entire production concerned through the producer organisation. … (4) provide the information requested by the producer organisation for statistical purposes, in particular on growing areas, quantities cropped, yields and direct sales; (5) to pay the financial contributions provided for in its rules of association for the establishment and replenishment of the operational fund provided for in Article 15; (d) the rules of association of which provide for: (1) procedures for determining, adopting and amending the rules referred to in point (c)(1); (2) the imposition on members of financial contributions needed to finance the producer organisation; (3) rules enabling the producer members democratically to scrutinise their organisation and its decisions; (4) penalties for infringement of obligations under the rules of association, particularly non-payment of financial contributions, or of the rules laid down by the producer organisation; (5) rules on the admission of new members, particularly a minimum membership period; (6) the accounting and budgetary rules necessary for the operation of the organisation; (e) which has been recognised by the Member State concerned pursuant to paragraph 2. 2. Member States shall recognise as producer organisations for the purposes of this Regulation all producer groups applying for such recognition, on condition that: (a) they meet the requirements laid down in paragraph 1 and provide the relevant evidence, including proof that they have a minimum number of members and cover a minimum volume of marketable production, to be determined in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 46; (b) there is sufficient evidence that they can carry out their activities properly, both over time and in terms of effectiveness; (c) they effectively enable their members to obtain technical assistance in using environmentally sound cultivation practices; (d) they effectively provide their members with the technical means for storing, packaging and marketing their produce and ensure proper commercial and budgetary management of their activities. …’