Commission Regulation (EC) No 877/2004 of 29 April 2004 laying down detailed rules for applying Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 as regards notification of the prices recorded on the markets for certain fresh fruit and vegetables

Commission Regulation (EC) No 877/2004
of 29 April 2004
laying down detailed rules for applying Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 as regards notification of the prices recorded on the markets for certain fresh fruit and vegetables
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 28(2) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 requires the Member States to notify to the Commission the prices for certain fresh fruit and vegetables recorded on the representative markets. The detailed rules for implementing that requirement were laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 659/97(2), itself repealed by Commission Regulation (EC) No 103/2004 21 January 2004 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 as regards intervention arrangements in the fruit and vegetables sector(3). New detailed rules should therefore be adopted for the notification of the prices recorded on the markets for certain fresh fruit and vegetables which, in the interests of clarity, should be separate from the detailed rules on intervention and withdrawals in the fruit and vegetables sector.
(2) The prices transmitted to the Commission for each product should be comparable. A reasonably harmonised definition should therefore apply throughout the Community regarding the marketing stage, presentation, quality class and, where applicable, the variety or type. The various representative markets for each product concerned should also be defined. In addition, the Member States should, where appropriate, provide the necessary explanations to the Commission regarding the methods and criteria applied to calculate the prices concerned.
(3) In order to ensure rapid circulation of information, electronic means of transmission should be used.
(4) In the interests of transparency, the Commission should inform the Member States of the prices recorded throughout the Community and the Community average price.
(5) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables,