Commission Regulation (EC) No 228/2006 of  9 February 2006  amending Regulation (EC) No 2257/94 laying down quality standards for bananas
Date: 2006-02-09
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: derogation from EU law, marketing standard, tropical fruit

10.2.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 39/7

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 228/2006

of 9 February 2006

amending Regulation (EC) No 2257/94 laying down quality standards for bananas

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

(6)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in
accordance with the opinion of
the Management
Committee for Bananas,

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 404/93 of 13
February 1993 on the common organisation of the market in
bananas (1), and in particular Article 4 thereof,

Article 1

Regulation (EC) No 2257/94 is amended as follows:

Whereas:

1. Annex I is amended as follows:

(a) Point I is replaced by the following:

Commission Regulation (EC) No 2257/94 (2) lays down
detailed rules for applying Regulation (EC) No 404/93 as
regards the quality standards for bananas.

‘I. DEFINITION OF PRODUCE

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Recent research on banana varieties has led to the devel-
opment of several hybrids. This is the case of the variety
Flhorban 920, a triploide hybrid, Musa balbisiana X Musa
acuminata, which belongs to the group AAA. This variety
was granted Community protection by Decision No
13757 of the Community Plant Variety Office of 19
July 2004. Hybrids should therefore be covered by Regu-
lation (EC) No 2257/94.

Due to the specific climatic conditions of those regions,
Regulation (EC) No 2257/94 allows bananas produced in
Madeira, the Azores, the Algarve, Crete and Laconia to be
marketed in the Community when classified in Class II
even if they do not fulfil the requirement of attaining at
least 14 cm in length. It is appropriate to provide for the
same derogation for bananas produced in Cyprus, where
the climatic conditions are similar.

In view of the demands of the Community market and
taking into account the Codex Alimentarius Standard for
bananas (Codex Stan 205-1997), provision should be
made
commercialisation of
bananas presented as single fingers.

to allow the

in order

to bananas of

standard applies

the varieties
This
(cultivars) of Musa (AAA) spp., Cavendish and Gros
Michel subgroups, as well as hybrids, referred to in
for supply fresh to the consumer after
Annex II,
preparation
bananas
packaging.
intended for industrial processing and fig bananas
are not covered.’

Plantains,

and

(b) In point
following:

III

the fourth paragraph is replaced by the

‘As an exception to the third paragraph, bananas
the Algarve, Crete,
the Azores,
produced in Madeira,
Lakonia and Cyprus which are less than 14 cm in
length may be marketed in the Community but must
be classified in Class II.’

(c) In point V, point C, the first paragraph is replaced by the

following:

‘The bananas must be presented in hands or clusters
(parts of hands) of at least four fingers. Bananas may
also be presented as single fingers.’

2. In Annex II, Group AAA, the following row is inserted after

the sub-group Gros Michel:

(5)

Regulation (EC) No 2257/94 should therefore be
amended accordingly.

(1) OJ L 47, 25.2.1993, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by the 2003

Group

Act of Accession.

(2) OJ L 245, 20.9.1994, p. 6. Regulation as last amended by Regu-

lation (EC) No 386/97 (OJ L 60, 1.3.1997, p. 53).

Sub-group

‘Hybrids

Main cultivars
(non-exhaustive list)

Flhorban 920’

L 39/8

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

10.2.2006

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

Article 2

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

Done at Brussels, 9 February 2006.

For the Commission

Mariann FISCHER BOEL
Member of the Commission