CELEX: 51978PC0762
Language: en
Date: 1979-01-16
Title: Draft Council Resolution on the application of unit pricing to foodstuffs and non-food household products prepackaged in predetermined quantities. (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (78) 762
Vol. 1978/0277
 ---pagebreak--- Disclaimer
Conformément au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983,
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003
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In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Economic
Community and the European Atomic Energy Community (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as
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file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom 1.
Februar 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI. L 43 vom 15.2.1983,
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 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                             COM(78)762 final.
                                             Brussels . 16 January 1979 .
                       Draft Council Resolution
                  on the application of unit pricing
                                                         <
            to foodstuffs and non-food household products
               prepackaged in predetermined quantities .
            ( submitted to the Council by the Commission )
         ^
         P * .
                  •       ' N
         te T-v
  OOM(78 ) 762 final .
 ---pagebreak---                          EXPLANATORY MMORJUTDUM
1 . On 26 May 1977 , "the Commission sent to the Council a proposal for a
       Directive on the display of foodstuff prices ( l ). The Economic and
       Social Committee and the European Parliament , consulted pursuant to
       Article 235      "the Treaty , gave their opinions on 27 October 1977
       ( 2) and on 16 February 1978 ( 3 ). The proposal was drawn up in the
       light of the priorities laid down in the preliminary programme cf
       the European Economic Community for a consumer protection and infor­
       mation policy (4 )• Its aim is to make it easier for consumers to
       oompare prices at the place of sale and to stimulate competition in
       the consumer 's interest , Article 10 of the proposal for a Directive
       lays down the conditions undt ? which exemptions may be granted for
       foodstuffs prepackaged in accordance with the rang© of noisinal quan­
       tities laid down at Community level .
 2 . In the light of the opinions given by the European Parliament and the
        Economic and Social Committee , the Commission took the. view that a
         period of five years waa sufficient for developments in respect of
        the standardization of prepackaging at national and ConmxRity level .
         On 29 Kay 1978, it accordingly Bant to the Council , by virtue of th®
         second paragraph of Article 149 , the text of the amendments to the
         proposed Directive .
  3 . In reopons® to concern expressed in several Member States , the Coauaie-
         e ion has set oat in this draft Resolution the guidelines wbioh should
         be followed in developing standardization at national and Cossarunity
         level , and the types of products prepackaged in predetermined quantities
         which will qualify for exemption from the obligation to display the pri­
         ce by unit measurement . This proposal also confirms the Council 's undez*-
  „• taking to adopt within the period specified in Artlole 9 ( 2 ) of the pro­
  > posal for a Directive the procedure for application of the obligation to
■rf. display the price "by unit of ne&nuresent of foodstuffs prepackaged in
  ; f' predetermined quantities.
    (l ) OJ Ho C 167 of 14 July 1977» page 4
    ( 2 , OJ Ho 0 10 of 23 January 1978# psg® 15
    ( 3 ) OJ Bo 0 63 of 13 March 19?8, pag« 48
    (4 ) OJ Ho C 92 of 25 April 1975. page 9 (point 35 ).
 ---pagebreak--- TA9 Coffimxssion also promised the European Parliament that non-food house­
hold product 3 would "be subject to the obligation to display prices per
unit of measurement in the same       as foodstuffs * Since such products
are generally prepackaged in predetermined quantities , it seemed oppor­
tune to make the® subject to the obligation to display the price per unit
of iseasurement in the same way as foodstuffs prepackaged in predetermined
quantities#
The aia of this proposal is to induce the Council to adopt the provisions
concerning tha indication of tha selling price and, if possible , the prio*
by unit of measurement of nan-food household pro6uots e
 ---pagebreak---  DRAFT
Council Resolution on the application of unit pricing to foodstuffs and
non-food household products prepackaged in predetermined quantities .
THE COUNCIL CP THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community ;
Having regard to the draft     from the Commission ;
Whereas the preliminary programme of the European Economio Community on
consumer protection and information provides for the drawing up of
common principles regarding the display of price per unit of weight or
volume :
                        /
Whereas the Commission forwarded to the Council a proposal for a Directive
on consumer protection in the marking and display of the prices of foodstuffs
calling, in particular , for the display of prices "by unit of measurement of
foodstuffs (l ) ;
Whereas the standardization of packaging is likely to faciliiate on-the-spot
comparisons "by the consumer when it establishes simple and easily comparable
quantity ranges ;
Whereas it is necessary to replace , whenever possible, the obligation to
display the price per unit of measurement by the standardization of packaging
Whereas an effort to standardize packaging is now under way at Community and
national level and it is necessary to take aocount of the progress which has
been or is being made ;                                             -
(l) OJ Ho 0 167 of 14 July 1977, page 4
 ---pagebreak---                                                                           4.
Whereas tho proposal for a Directive debars to a later date the adoption
by the Council of the procedures for applying unit, pricing to foodstuffs
prepackaged in predetermined quantities ;
Whereas non-fcod household products are not covered by the above proposal
for a Direotive and provisions concerning the display of tha prices of these
products , in particular unit pricingt should be adopted {
Whereas the Council therefore undertake now to adopt , on a proposal from the
Commission , within a period of five years , supplementary measures concerning
the display of prices of foodstuffs and non-food household products prepacka^
ged in predetermined quantities ;
UNDERTAKES to lay down within a period of five years , from the date on which
the directive on consumer protection in the markina and display nf       prif-r><*
of foodstuffs is adopted , on a proposal from the Commission , the procedures
for application of the obligation to display the price by unit of measurement
of foodstuffB prepackaged in predetermined quantities ;
UNDERTAKES to adopt before that date , on a proposal from the Commission ,
measures concerning the indication of selling price and the price by unit of
measurement of household produots ;
CONSIDERS that the ranges of quantities which satisfy the following criteria
will qualify for exemption from the price per unit of measurement :
- they are simple and involve only a small number of sizes ,
- they involve only sizes sufficiently distinot from each other to permit easy
  comparison ,
- they are uniform for the same , cr very similar produots ,
- they involve as far as possible only sizes which are simple multiples or
  submultiples of a kilogramme or a litre ,
- they correspond to ranges in quantity of the contents :
 ---pagebreak--- NOTES that the Commission will forward to the Council in good time such
proposals as are required to ensure that the development of standardiza­
tion at national level does not causa new technical barriers to trade * The
Cooaission will coordinate the efforts of standardization undertaken at the
national level by setting up regular contacts between the appropriate admi­
nistrations and specialized bodies .