543/2011/EU: Commission Implementing Regulation 543/2011 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 in respect of the fruit and vegetables and processed fruit and vegetables sectors - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 157/1

Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 establishes a common organisation of agricultural markets which includes the fruit and vegetables and processed fruit and vegetables sectors.

The implementing rules covering the fruit and vegetables and processed fruit and vegetables sectors are laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 1580/2007 of 21 December 2007 laying down implementing rules of Council Regulations (EC) No 2200/96, (EC) No 2201/96 and (EC) No 1182/2007 in the fruit and vegetable sector (2). That Regulation has been amended several times. In the interests of clarity, it is appropriate to incorporate all the implementing rules in a new Regulation, together with the amendments necessary in the light of experience, and to repeal Regulation (EC) No 1580/2007.

Marketing years should be set for products of the fruit and vegetables and the processed fruit and vegetables sectors. Since there are no longer any aid schemes in the sectors which follow the harvesting cycle of the products concerned, all marketing years may be harmonised to fit the calendar year.

Article 113(1)(b) and (c) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 authorises the Commission to provide for marketing standards for fruit and vegetables and processed fruit and vegetables, respectively. Pursuant to Article 113a(1) of that Regulation, fruit and vegetables which are intended to be sold fresh to the consumer, may only be marketed if they are of sound, fair and marketable quality and if the country of origin is indicated. To harmonise the implementation of that provision, it is appropriate to set out details of and provide for a general marketing standard for all fresh fruit and vegetables.

Specific marketing standards should be adopted for those products for which it seems necessary to adopt a standard based on an assessment of its relevance, taking into account, in particular, which products are most traded in value terms on the basis of the figures held in the European Commission’s reference database on international trade, Comext.

In order to avoid unnecessary barriers to trade, where specific marketing standards are to be laid down for individual products, these standards should be those as set out in the standards adopted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). Where no specific marketing standard has been adopted at Union level, products should be considered as conforming to the general marketing standard where the holder is able to show that the products are in conformity with any applicable UNECE standard.

Exceptions and exemptions from the application of marketing standards should be provided for in the case of certain operations which are either very marginal and/or specific, or take place at the start of the distribution chain, or in the case of dried fruit and vegetables and products intended for processing. Since some products will naturally develop and have a tendency to perish, they should be permitted to show a slight lack...