Commission Regulation (EC) No 86/2004 of 15 January 2004 laying down the marketing standard for pears
Date: 2004-01-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: marketing standard, pip fruit

20.1.2004

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Official Journal of the European Union

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COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 86/2004

of 15 January 2004

laying down the marketing standard for pears

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 of 28
October 1996 on the common organisation of the market in
fruit and vegetables (1), and in particular Article 2(2),

gical development of the products or their perishable
nature. Account should be taken of such deterioration
when applying the standard at
the marketing stages
following dispatch.

(5)

(6)

As products in the ‘Extra’ class have to be particularly
carefully sorted and packaged, only lack of freshness and
turgidity is to be taken into account in their case.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in
accordance with the opinion of
the Management
Committee for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Pears are among the products listed in Annex I to Regu-
lation (EC) No 2200/96 for which standards must be
adopted. Commission Regulation (EC) No 1619/2001
laying down the marketing standard for apples and pears
and amending Regulation (EEC) No 920/89 (2) lays down
a marketing standard common to apples and pears.

The Working Party on Standardisation of Perishable
Produce and Quality Development of the United Nations
Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE) having
decided, in the interest of clarity, that the rules on pears
should be separated from those on apples, Regulation
(EC) No 1619/2001 has been repealed by Commission
Regulation (EC) No 85/2004 of 15 January 2004 laying
down the marketing standard for apples (3). A new
marketing standards for pears should be adopted accord-
ingly.

Application of
these new standards should remove
products of unsatisfactory quality from the market, bring
production into line with consumer requirements and
thereby
trade based on fair
facilitate
helping to improve profitability.

competition,

The standards are applicable at all marketing stages.
Long-distance transport, storage over a certain period
and the various processes the products undergo may
cause some degree of deterioration owing to the biolo-

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The marketing standard for pears,
ex 0808 20, shall be as set out in the Annex.

falling within CN code

The standard shall apply at all marketing stages under the
conditions laid down in Regulation (EC) No 2200/96.

However, at stages following dispatch, products may show in
relation to the requirements of the standard:

— a slight lack of freshness and turgidity,

— for products graded in classes other than the ‘Extra’ class,
slight deteriorations due to their development and their
tendency to perish.

Article 2

(1) OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by
Commission Regulation (EC) No 47/2003 (OJ L 7, 11.1.2003, p.
64).

(2) OJ L 215, 9.8.2001, p. 3. Regulation amended by Regulation (EC)

No 46/2003 (OJ L 7, 11.1.2003, p. 61).

(3) See page 3 of this Official Journal.

This Regulation shall enter
into force on the 20th day
following its publication in the Official Journal of the European
Union.

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

Done at Brussels, 15 January 2004.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

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ANNEX

STANDARD FOR PEARS

I. DEFINITION OF PRODUCE

This standard applies to pears of varieties (cultivars) grown from Pyrus communis L. to be supplied fresh to the
consumer, pears for industrial processing being excluded.

II. PROVISIONS CONCERNING QUALITY

The purpose of the standard is to define the quality requirements of pears, after preparation and packaging.

A. Minimum requirements

In all classes, subject to the special provisions for each class and the tolerances allowed, pears must be:

— intact,

— sound; produce affected by rotting or deterioration such as to make it unfit for consumption is excluded,

— clean, practically free of any visible foreign matter,

— practically free from pests,

— practically free from damage caused by pests,

— free of abnormal external moisture,

— free of any foreign smell and/or taste.

In addition, they must have been carefully picked.

The development and condition of the pears must be such as to enable them:

— to continue their ripening process and to reach the degree of ripeness required in relation to the varietal charac-

teristics,

— to withstand transport and handling and

— to arrive in satisfactory condition at the place of destination.

B. Classification

Pears are classified in three classes defined below.

(i) ‘Extra’ Class

Pears in this class must be of superior quality. In shape, size and colouring, they must be characteristic of the
variety and the stalk must be present and intact.

The flesh must be perfectly sound, and the skin free from rough russeting (1).

They must be free from defects with the exception of very slight superficial defects provided these do not affect
the general appearance of the fruit, the quality, the keeping quality and presentation in the package.

Pears must not be gritty.

(ii) Class I

Pears in this class must be of good quality. In shape, size and colouring, they must be characteristic of the
variety.

The flesh must be perfectly sound, and the skin free from rough russeting (1).

The following slight defects, however, may be allowed provided these do not affect the general appearance of
the produce, the quality, the keeping quality and presentation in the package:

— a slight defect in shape,

— a slight defect in development,

(1) This does not apply when this russeting is a characteristic of the variety.

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— a slight defect in colouring,

— slight skin defects which must not extend over more than:

— 2 cm in length for defects of elongated shape,

— 1 cm2 of total surface area for other defects, with the exception of scab (Venturia pirina and V. inaequalis),

which must not extend over more than 0,25 cm2 of total surface area,

— slight bruising not exceeding 1 cm2 of total surface area and not discoloured.

The stalk may be slightly damaged.

Pears must not be gritty.

(iii) Class II

This class includes pears which do not qualify for inclusion in the higher classes but satisfy the minimum
requirements specified above.

The flesh must be free from major defects.

The following defects are allowed provided the fruit retains its essential characteristics as regards the quality, the
keeping quality and presentation:

— defects in shape,

— defects in development,

— defects in colouring,

— slight rough russeting (1),

— skin defects which must not extend over more than:

— 4 cm in length for defects of elongated shape,

— 2,5 cm2 of total surface area for other defects, with the exception of scab (Venturia pirina and V. inae-

qualis), which must not extend over more than 1 cm2 of total surface area,

— slight bruising not exceeding 1 cm2 of total surface area which may be slightly discoloured.

III. PROVISIONS CONCERNING SIZING

Size is determined by maximum diameter of the equatorial section.

A minimum size is required for each class as follows:

Large fruited varieties (1)

Other varieties

'Extra'

60 mm

55 mm

Class I

55 mm

50 mm

Class II

55 mm

45 mm

(1) A non-exhaustive list of large fruited and summer pear varieties is included in the Appendix to this standard

Exceptionally, and for summer pears included in the Appendix to this standard, no minimum size will be laid down
for consignments harvested and dispatched between 10 June and 31 July (inclusive) of any year.

To ensure there is uniformity of size within a package, the difference in diameter between fruit in the same package
shall be limited to:

— 5 mm for Extra Class fruit and for Class I and II fruit packed in rows and layers,

— 10 mm for Class I fruit packed loose in the package or in sales packages.

There is no sizing uniformity limit for Class II fruit packed loose in the package or in sales packages.

IV. PROVISIONS CONCERNING TOLERANCES

Tolerances in respect of quality and size shall be allowed in each package for produce not satisfying the require-
ments of the class indicated.

(1) This does not apply when this russeting is a characteristic of the variety.

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A. Quality tolerances

(i) ‘Extra’ Class

5 per cent by number or weight of pears not satisfying the requirements of the class, but meeting those of Class
I or, exceptionally, coming within the tolerances of that class.

(ii) Class I

10 per cent by number or weight of pears not satisfying the requirements of the class, but meeting those of
Class II, or exceptionally, coming within the tolerances of that class. However, pears without stalks are not
included in this tolerance.

(iii) Class II

10 per cent by number or weight of pears satisfying neither the requirements of the class nor the minimum
requirements, with the exception of produce affected by rotting or any other deterioration rendering it unfit for
consumption.

Within this tolerance, a maximum of 2 per cent by number or weight of fruit is allowed which shows the
following defects:

— slight damage or unhealed cracks,

— very slight traces of rot,

— presence of internal feeding pests and/or damage to the flesh caused by pests.

B. Size tolerances

For all classes:

10 per cent by number or weight of fruit corresponding to the size immediately above or below that marked on the
package, with, for fruit classified in the smallest grade allowed a maximum variation of 5 mm below the minimum.

V. PROVISIONS CONCERNING PRESENTATION

A. Uniformity

The contents of each package must be uniform and contain only pears of the same origin, variety, quality and size
(if sized) and the same degree of ripeness.

In the case of the ‘Extra’ Class, uniformity also applies to colouring.

The visible part of the contents of the package must be representative of the entire contents.

Notwithstanding the preceding provisions in this point, products covered by this Regulation may be mixed, in sales
packages of a net weight of three kilograms or less, with different types of fresh fruits and vegetables on the condi-
tions laid down by Commission Regulation (EC) No 48/2003 (1).

B. Packaging

The pears must be packed in such a way as to protect the produce properly.

The materials used inside the package must be new, clean and of a quality such as to avoid causing any external or
internal damage to the produce. The use of materials, particularly of paper or stamps bearing trade specifications is
allowed provided the printing or labelling has been done with non-toxic ink or glue.

Packages must be free of all foreign matter.

C. Presentation

‘Extra’ Class fruit must be packed in layers.

VI. PROVISIONS CONCERNING MARKING

Each package must bear the following particulars, in letters grouped on the same side, legibly and indelibly marked,
and visible from the outside:

(1) OJ L 7, 11.1.2003, p. 65.

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A.

Identification

Packer and/or dispatcher: name and address or officially issued or accepted code mark. However, in the case where a
code mark is used, the reference ‘packer and/or dispatcher (or equivalent abbreviations)’ has to be indicated in close
connection with the code mark.

B. Nature of produce

— ‘Pears’ if the contents are not visible from the outside,

— name of the variety.

C. Origin of produce

Country of origin and, optionally, district where grown, or national, regional or local place name.

D. Commercial specifications

— Class,

— size or, for fruit packed in rows and layers, number of units.

If identification is by the size, this should be expressed:

(a) for produce subject to the uniformity rules, as minimum and maximum diameters;

(b) for produce not subject to the uniformity rules, the diameter of the smallest fruit in the package followed by

‘and over’ or equivalent denomination or, if appropriate, the diameter of the largest fruit in the package.

E. Official control mark (optional)

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Appendix

1. SIZE CRITERIA

L = Large fruited variety

SP = Summer pear, for which no minimum size is required in respect of consignments harvested and dispatched

between 10 June and 31 July of any year.

2. NON-EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF LARGE FRUITED AND SUMMER PEAR VARIETIES CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO

THEIR SIZE CRITERIA

Small fruited and other varieties which do not appear in the list may be marketed as long as they meet the size
requirements for other varieties as described in section III of the standard.

Some of the varieties listed in the following may be marketed under trade names for which trademark protection has
been sought or obtained in one or more countries. The first and second columns of the table hereunder do not intend
to include such trade names. Reference to known trademarks have been included in the third column for information
only.

Variety

Synonyms

Trade names

Abbé Fétel

Abate Fetel

Abugo o Siete en Boca

Akςa

Alka

Alsa

Amfora

Alexandrine Douillard

Bergamotten

Beurré Alexandre Lucas

Lucas

Beurré Bosc

Beurré Clairgeau

Bosc,
Beurré
Empereur Alexandre,
Alexandre

d'Apremont,
Kaiser

Beurré d'Arenberg

Hardenpont

Beurré Giffard

Beurré précoce Morettini

Morettini

Blanca de Aranjuez

Agua de Aranjuez, Espadona,
Blanquilla

Carusella

Castell

Castell de Verano

Colorée de juillet

Bunte Juli

Comice rouge

Concorde

Condoula

Size

L

SP

SP

L

L

L

L

SP

L

L

L

L

SP

SP

SP

SP

SP

SP

L

L

SP

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Variety

Synonyms

Trade names

Ercolini

Espadon de

Curato, Pastoren, Del cura de
invierno,
Ouro,
Bella de Berry, Lombardia de
Rioja, Batall de Campana

Coscia

Curé

D'Anjou

Dita

D. Joaquina

Doyenné de juillet

Doyenné d'hiver

Winterdechant

Doyenné du comice

Comice, Vereinsdechant

Erika

Etrusca

Flamingo

Forelle

Général Leclerc

Gentile

Golden Russet Bosc

Grand champion

Harrow Delight

Jeanne d'Arc

Josephine

Kieffer

Leonardeta

Lombacad

Moscatella

Mramornaja

Mustafabey

Amber GraceTM

Mosqueruela,
Colorada
Leonarda de Magallon

de

Margallon,
Alcanadre,

Cascade®

Mramornoje

Packham's Triumph

Williams d'Automne

Passe Crassane

Passa Crassana

Perita de San Juan

Pérola

Pitmaston

Williams Duchesse

Précoce de Trévoux

Trévoux

Size

SP

L

L

L

SP

L

L

L

SP

L

L

L

SP

L

L

L

L

L

L

SP

L

SP

L

SP

L

L

SP

SP

L

SP

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Variety

Synonyms

Trade names

Size

Président Drouard

Rosemarie

Santa Maria

Spadoncina

Taylors Gold

Triomphe de Vienne

Williams Bon Chrétien

Santa Maria Morettini

de Verano, Agua

de

Agua
Agosto

Bon Chrétien, Bartlett, Williams,
Summer Bartlett

L

L

SP

SP

L

L

L