Marketing Standards for fresh fruit and vegetables Advisory

Marketing Standards for fresh fruit and vegetables Advisory group 05/06/2009 Sandrine Valentin European Commission – Agriculture and Rural Development 1

Reform of Common Market Organisation in the fruit and vegetables sector Simplification of the marketing standards on fruit and vegetables Regulation (EC) No 1221/2008 (OJ L 336, 13. 12. 2008, p. 1– 80) 2

Reg (EC) No 1221/2008 1. reduces the number of specific marketing standards (SMS) 2. introduces a General Marketing Standard (GMS) 3. simplifies and rationalises the associated checking operations 3

1. Specific Marketing Standards - 26 SMS repealed - 10 families of products covered by a SMS apples, citrus fruit, kiwifruit, lettuces, curled leaved and broad-leaved endives, peaches and nectarines, pears, strawberries, sweet peppers, table grapes, tomatoes 75% of the value of F&V trade of the intra-EU 4

2. General Marketing Standard Fresh fruit and vegetables (covered by art. 1 of reg. (EC) No 1234/2007) are marketed only if: - they are sound, fair and of marketable quality -the country of origin is indicated - exemption is foreseen for 8 products 5

GMS <-> SMS Fruit and vegetables not covered by a specific marketing standard shall conform to the general marketing standard However, where the holder is able to show they are in conformity with any applicable standards adopted by the UNECE, the product shall be considered as conforming to the general marketing standard. 6

3. Checks on conformity to the marketing standards - Carried out selectively by MS, on a risk analysis basis, with appropriate frequency -Checks at all stages of marketing - Coordinating Authority + Inspection Body public or private 7

Some other the new elements of Reg. (EC) No 1221/2008 - Exemptions from complying with both specific or general marketing standards if: (i) indented for processing or (ii) intended for animal feed or other non-food use, (iii) labelled “ready to eat” or equivalent marking. - Selective controls, for both specific and general marketing standards, on the basis of risk analysis based on criteria set by MS. -Marketing of packages of a net weight of 5 kg or less containing mixes of different types of F&V. 8

Next steps The Regulation (EC) 1221/2008 will be applicable from 1 July 2009 An amended version should be published to take into account the last UNECE developments (tomatoes, lettuces, pears standards) 9

Thank you for your attention 10