Commission Regulation (EC) No 228/2006 of  9 February 2006  amending Regulation (EC) No 2257/94 laying down quality standards for bananas

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
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
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,
Whereas:
(1) 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.
(2) Recent research on banana varieties has led to the development 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 Regulation (EC) No 2257/94.
(3) 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.
(4) 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 in order to allow the commercialisation of bananas presented as single fingers.
(5) Regulation (EC) No 2257/94 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(6) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Bananas,