Commission Regulation (EC) No 1573/1999 of 19 July 1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/96 as regards the characteristics of dried figs qualifying for aid under the production aid scheme
Date: 1999-07-19
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: dried product, minimum price, pip fruit, producer price, production aid

20. 7. 1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 187/27

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1573/1999

of 19 July 1999

laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/96 as regards the
characteristics of dried figs qualifying for aid under the production aid scheme

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/96 of 28
October 1996 on the common organisation of the markets in
processed fruit and vegetable products (1), as amended by Regu-
lation (EC) No 2199/97 (2), and in particular Article 4(9)
thereof,

(1) Whereas Title I of Regulation (EC) No 2201/96 intro-
duced a sytem of production aid for certain processed
products obtained from fruit and vegetables; whereas
Commission Regulation (EC) No 504/97 of 19 March
1997 laying down detailed rules for the application of
Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/96 as regards the
system of production aid for products processed from
fruit and vegetables (3), as last amended by Regulation
(EC) No 702/1999 (4), laid down general rules applicable
to that system of aid; whereas without prejudice to the
other provisions of Regulation (EC) No 504/97 certain
specific rules have to be laid down for the characteristics
required of dried figs if they are to qualify for produc-
tion aid;

(2) Whereas the quality of dried figs before and after
processing is variable; whereas the minimum price and
production aid should be fixed for a specific type of
product; whereas Community production is character-
ised by two types of dried fig, small-fruit and others;
whereas the essential characteristic which distinguishes
the market price of both types is their size; whereas the
minimum price and the aid should therefore be fixed for
the most representative size class for each of the two
types of dried figs intended for direct consumption, and
the price and aid applicable to the other sizes should be
derived from these prices and aid rates;

(3) Whereas the aim of minimum quality requirements laid
down in Article 4(4)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 2201/96
is to avoid the production of products for which there is
no demand or which would cause distortion of the
market; whereas those requirements must be based on
traditional, fair manufacturing procedures; whereas, to
ensure compliance with these provisions, the minium
characteristics
required of unprocessed dried figs
purchased by processors and dried figs qualifying for aid
should be defined;

(1) OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 29.
(2) OJ L 303, 6.11.1997, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 78, 20.3.1997, p. 14.
(4) OJ L 89, 1.4.1999, p. 26.

(4) Whereas, to ensure uniform application, rules should be
laid down on carrying out checks on the characteristics
of dried figs before and after processing;

adjustments

(5) Whereas certain requirements of this Regulation call for
far-reaching
and
processing sector; whereas these requirements must
therefore be introduced progressively over
the five
marketing years following the entry into force of this
Regulation;

production

the

of

(6) Whereas this Regulation incorporates the provisions
specific to figs in Articles 1 and 2 of Commission Regu-
lation (EEC) No 1709/84 of 19 June 1984 on minimum
prices payable to producers and amounts of production
aid for certain processed fruit and vegetables eligible for
production aid (5), as last amended by Regulation (EC)
No 1591/98 (6), updated in line with legal, technical and
economic developments; whereas, therefore, Articles 1
and 2 of and Annexes I, II and III to that Regulation
should be repealed;

(7) Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation
are in accordance with the opinion of the Management
Committee for Products Processed from Fruit and Veget-
ables,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

To qualify for payment of the minium price, unprocessed
1.
dried figs shall correspond to the characteristics set out in
Annex II.

To qualify for payment of aid, dried figs and fig paste
2.
shall correspond to the characteristics set out in Annex III.

3.
The minium price payable to the producer for unpro-
cessed dried figs and the production aid for dried figs shall be
fixed for the products corresponding to the characteristics laid
down in Annexes II and III respectively and between 75 and
105 fruits per kilogram in size for small-fruit varieties and
between 65 and 85 fruits per kilogram in size for other vari-
eties. For other dried figs the minium price and the amount of
aid shall be multiplied by one of the coefficients listed in
Annex I.

(5) OJ L 162, 20.6.1984, p. 8.
(6) OJ L 208, 24.7.1998, p. 14.

L 187/28

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

20. 7. 1999

Article 2

1.
Verification of the characteristics and size of unprocessed
dried figs shall be carried out on the basis of representative
samples of an entire lot taken by the processor in agreement
with the producer. The samples shall be examined by both the
processor and the producer and the results of the verification
shall be recorded. To this end, ‘lot’ shall mean all the products
presented simultaneously by a producer or producer organ-
isation for acceptance by a processor.

2.
For dried figs the processor shall verify by sampling of
each lot sold that the products meet the characteristics required
to benefit from the aid and are of the correct size. The results
of the verification shall be recorded. The minium net weight of
each sample to be examined shall be one kilogram.

The Member States may adopt national provisions with
to grade-outs as concerns minimum percentage,

3.
respect
controls and destination in particular.

Article 3

Articles 1 and 2 of and Annexes I, II and III to Regulation (EEC)
No 1709/84 are repealed.

Article 4

This Regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day
following its publication in the Official Journal of the European
Communities.

It shall apply from 1999/2000 marketing year.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 19 July 1999.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

20. 7. 1999

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Official Journal of the European Communities

L 187/29

COEFFICIENTS APPLICABLE TO THE MINIMUM PRICE AND PRODUCTION AID

ANNEX I

Size
(Number of fruits per kilogram)

Small-fruit varieties (1)

Other varieties

Fewer than (75) fruits/kg

Fewer than (65) fruits/kg

(75 to 105) fruits/kg

(65 to 85) fruits/kg

(106 to 136) fruits/kg

(86 to 116) fruits/kg

Unsized products (2)

Unsized products

Coefficient applicable to
the minimum price and
production aid

1,2

1

0,8

0,65 (3)

(1) Cuello de Dama, Pajarito, Granito, Preto de Torres, Pingo de mel or Moscatel, Cachopeira, Cotio, Branco do Douro, Rei branco, Rei preto,

Cordoví, Blancos, De la Casta, Verdejos.

(2) Unprocessed dried figs intended for the production of fig pastes, fig pastes.
(3) This coefficient shall be replaced by the following amounts for the first five marketing years following the entry into force of this

Regulation:

Marketing year

Coefficient applicable
to minimum price

Coefficient applicable
to aid

1999/2000

2000/2001

2001/2002

2002/2003

2003/2004

0,70

0,70

0,65

0,65

0,65

1,0

1,0

0,9

0,8

0,7

L 187/30

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Official Journal of the European Communities

20. 7. 1999

ANNEX II

CHARACTERISTICS OF UNPROCESSED DRIED FIGS

1. Definition

Unprocessed dried figs shall have been obtained from ripe fruit of varieties of Ficus carica domestica L. dried naturally.

2. Minimum requirements and tolerances

Unprocessed dried figs must:

— have a maximum moisture content of 24 %

— have a minimum size of 136 fruits per kilogram for small-fruit varieties (1) and 116 fruits per kilogram for other

varieties,

— have a thin skin and a pulp of honey consistency,

— be of a uniform colour,

— be clean and practically free from foreign matter.

In each lot the following tolerances shall be allowed (2):

— 30 % by number or weight of dried figs with internal or external damage from any cause, of which not more than

18 % of figs damaged by insects,

— 3 % by number or weight of dried figs unsuitable for processing.

(1) Cuello de Dama, Pajarito, Granito, Preto de Torres, Pingo de melor Moscatel, Cachopeira, Cotio, Branco do Douro, Rei branco, Rei

preto, Cordoví, Blancos, De la Casta, Verdejos.

(2) Until the end of the 2003/04 marketing year, the tolerances allowed are as follows:
— 40 % for the 1999/2000 and 2000/01 marketing years and 35 % for subsequent marketing years, by number or weight of dried
figs with internal or external damage from any cause, of which not more than 25 %, for the 1999/2000 and 2000/01 marketing
years, and 20 %, for subsequent marketing years, of figs damaged by insects,
— 10 % for the 1999/2000 and 2000/01 marketing year and 6 % for subsequent marketing years, by number or weight of dried

figs unsuitable for processing.

20. 7. 1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 187/31

ANNEX III

A. CHARACTERISTICS OF DRIED FIGS

1. Definition

Dried figs shall have been obtained from ripe fruit of varieties of Ficus carica domestica L. dried naturally.

2. Minimum requirements and tolerances

Dried figs must:

— have a maximum moisture content of 24 %,

— have a minimum size of 136 fruits per kilogram for small-fruit varieties (1) and 116 fruits per kilogram for other

varieties,

— have a thin skin and a pulp of honey consistency,

— be of a uniform colour,

— be clean and free from foreign matter.

In each lot the following tolerances shall be allowed:

— 25 % by number or weight of dried figs with internal or external damage from any cause, of which not more than

15 % of figs damaged by insects,

B. CHARACTERISTICS OF FIG PASTES

Definition and minimum requirements

Fig pastes are obtained from unprocessed dried figs corresponding to the characteristics set out in Annex II with the
exception of size, which may be smaller.

The unprocessed dried figs used in the production of pastes must have been washed in hot water and dried in hot air.
They may have a maximum moisture content of 24 %.

(1) Cuello de Dama, Pajarito, Granito, Preto de Torres, Pingo de mel or Moscatel, Cachopeira, Cotio, Branco do Douro, Rei branco, Rei

preto, Cordoví, Blancos, De la Casta, Verdejos.