EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 84/244

(2004/C 84 E/0289)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3525/03

by Giacomo Santini (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 November 2003)

Subject: Size of apples

With effect from 1 May 2004 the Fruit and Vegetable Management Committee will allow apples with a diameter of 5 cm to be placed on the European market. In response to this decision, many companies in the sector have already expressed their utmost concern at the damaging effect which this will have on quality produce.

Given that the proposal has not yet been put into effect (since it has still to be approved by the Commission):

1. Does the Commission not agree that such a decision flies in the face of the quality policies which have so far been promoted by the Commission and the EU by means including the CAP reform and the COM in fruit and vegetables?

2. How is the Commission intending to respond to the proposal put forward by the Fruit and Vegetable Management Committee?

3. Does the Commission not think that, instead of forcing a decline in quality, it should encourage the growers of small apples to improve the quality of their produce? Furthermore, does the Commission not fear an adverse reaction from EU consumers?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(12 January 2004)

The proposal for a Commission Regulation to which the Honourable Member refers has indeed been presented by the Commission to the Management Committee for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables, which examined it recently.

In that draft, the Commission proposes harmonising the minimum apple size applicable in the Community with the minimum apple size provided for by international standards. The minimum apple size applicable in the Community will therefore be reduced by 5 millimetres (mm) from 1 August 2005. For small-fruit varieties (20 % of Community production) the minimum size will indeed fall to 50 mm, as the Honourable Member emphasises, but only in grade II (the lowest quality grade). The minimum size for those varieties will remain unchanged for the quality grades which constitute the bulk of the market. For other varieties (80 % of the market), the minimum size will be 60 mm in grades I and II.

The proposal must be considered in the light of new ripeness criteria being introduced at the same time as the marketing standard for apples.

Apple quality depends on many factors. Two criteria have traditionally been used: red colour (for varieties which turn at least partially red when ripe) and size. But other criteria seem more appropriate for assessing apple quality as accurately as possible, for example sugar content, firmness or acidity. These three criteria reveal much more about the fruit's taste, whereas colour and size describe its appearance (even though the two types of criteria do correlate to some extent).

The Commission is therefore proposing adopting these new criteria, rather than minimum size, as the main quality criteria. This will make it possible to ensure that all apples on sale — including those large in size — are of better quality, that small apples of acceptable quality (for which outlets are developing rapidly) are no longer excluded from the market and, in respect of size, that Community rules are brought into line with the Community's international commitments — particularly as regards the World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreement on technical barriers to trade.

Hence the Commission considers overall that the proposal will lead to tastier apples being on sale, which is fully in tune with EU policies on quality. Nor does the Commission regard the proposal as a retrograde step for quality growers — on the contrary, the proposal encourages their efforts by introducing real quality indicators applicable to all apple growers. The Commission therefore anticipates a positive reaction from consumers.