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EU BANANA REGULATIONS 01.rtf

Community legislation in force

Document 394R2257
Directory chapters where this document can be found:
[ 03.60.54 - Fresh fruit and vegetables ]

394R2257
Commission Regulation (EC) No 2257/94 of 16 September 1994 laying down
quality standards for bananas (Text with EEA relevance)
Official Journal L 245 , 20/09/1994 p. 0006 - 0010
Finnish special edition....: Chapter 3 Volume 61 p. 52
Swedish special edition...: Chapter 3 Volume 61 p. 52

      Amendments:
      Amended by 396R1135 (OJ L 150 25.06.1996 p.38) 
      Amended by 397R0386 (OJ L 060 01.03.1997 p.53) 

      Text:
      COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2257/94 of 16 September 1994 laying down 
      Quality standards for bananas (Text with EEA relevance) 
      THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
      Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, 
      Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 404/93 of 13 February 1993 on 
      the common organization of the market in bananas (1), as amended by 
      Commission Regulation (EC) No 3518/93 (2), and in particular Article 4 
      thereof, 
      Whereas Regulation (EEC) No 404/93 makes provision for laying down common 
      quality standards for bananas intended for consumption fresh, not 
      including plantains; whereas the purpose of these standards is to ensure 
      that the market is supplied with products of uniform and satisfactory 
      quality, in particular in the case of bananas harvested in the Community, 
      for which efforts to improve quality should be made; 
      Whereas, given the wide range of varieties marketed in the Community and 
      of marketing practices, minimum standards should be set for unripened 
      green bananas, without prejudice to the later introduction of standards 
      applicable at a different marketing stage; whereas the characteristics of 
      fig bananas and the way in which they are marketed are such that they 
      should not be covered by the Community standards; 
      Whereas the banana-producing Member States already apply national 
      standards within their territory at different stages in the marketing of 
      bananas; whereas it seems appropriate, in view of the objectives pursued, 
      to allow these existing rules to continue to apply to their own production 
      but only at stages subsequent to unripened green bananas, provided those 
      rules are not in conflict with the Community standards and do not impede 
      the free circulation of bananas in the Community; 
      Whereas account should be taken of the fact that, because climatic factors 
      make production conditions difficult in the Community regions of Madeira, 
      the Azores, the Algarve, Crete and Lakonia, bananas there do not develop 
      to the minimum length laid down; whereas in these cases such bananas may 
      still be marketed, but only in Class II; 
      Whereas the Management Committee for Bananas has not delivered an opinion 
      within the time limit set by its chairman, 
      HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 

      Article 1 
      The quality standards applicable to bananas falling within CN code ex 
      0803, excluding plantains, fig bananas and bananas intended for 
      processing, are laid down in Annex I hereto. 
      These standards shall apply to bananas originating in third countries at 
      the stage of release for free circulation, to bananas originating in the 
      Community at the stage of first landing at a Community port, and to 
      bananas delivered fresh to the consumer in the producing region at the 
      stage of leaving the packing shed. 

      Article 2 
      The standards laid down in Article 1 shall not affect the application, at 
      later stages of marketing, of national rules which: 
      - do not impede the free circulation of bananas originating in third 
      countries or other regions of the Community and complying with the 
      standards laid down in this Regulation, 
      and
      - are not incompatible with the standards laid down in this Regulation. 

      Article 3 
      This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 1995. 
      This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable 
      in all Member States. 
      Done at Brussels, 16 September 1994. 
      For the Commission
      René STEICHEN
      Member of the Commission

      (1) OJ No L 47, 25. 2. 1993, p. 1. 
      (2) OJ No L 320, 22. 12. 1993, p. 15. 

      ANNEX I 
      QUALITY STANDARDS FOR BANANAS I. DEFINITION OF PRODUCE
      This standard applies to bananas of the varieties (cultivars) of Musa 
      (AAA) spp., Cavendish and Gros Michel subgroups, referred to in Annex II, 
      for supply fresh to the consumer after preparation and packaging. 
      Plantains, bananas intended for industrial processing and fig bananas are 
      not covered. 
      II. QUALITY
      This standard defines the quality requirements to be met by unripened 
      green bananas after preparation and packaging. 
      A. Minimum requirements
      In all classes, subject to the special provisions for each class and the 
      tolerances allowed, the bananas must be: 
      - green and unripened, 
      - intact, 
      - firm, 
      - sound; produce affected by rotting or deterioration such as to make it 
      unfit for consumption is excluded, 
      - clean, practically free from visible foreign matter, 
      - practically free from pests, 
      - practically free from damage caused by pests, 
      - with the stalk intact, without bending, fungal damage or dessication, 
      - with pistils removed, 
      - free from malformation or abnormal curvature of the fingers, 
      - practically free from bruises, 
      - practically free from damage due to low temperatures, 
      - free from abnormal external moisture, 
      - free from any foreign smell and/or taste. 
      In addition, hands and clusters (parts of hands) must include: 
      - a sufficient portion of crown of normal colouring, sound and free from 
      fungal contamination, 
      - a cleanly cut crown, not beveled or torn, with no stalk fragments. 
      The physical development and ripeness of the bananas must be such as to 
      enable them to: 
      - withstand transport and handling, 
      and
      - arrive in satisfactory condition at the place of destination in order to 
      attain an appropriate degree of maturity after ripening. 
      B. Classification
      Bananas are classified into the three classes defined below: 
      (i) 'Extra' class
      Bananas in this class must be of superior quality. They must have the 
      characteristics typical of the variety and/or commercial type. 
      The fingers must be free from defects, apart from slight superficial 
      blemishes not covering a total of more than 1 cm2 of the surface of the 
      finger, which must not impair the general appearance of the hand or 
      cluster, its quality, its keeping quality or the presentation of the 
      package. 
      (ii) Class I
      Bananas in this class must be of good quality. They must display the 
      characteristics typical of the variety and/or commercial type. 
      However, the following slight defects of the fingers are allowed, provided 
      they do not impair the general appearance of each hand or cluster, its 
      quality, its keeping quality or the presentation of the package: 
      - slight defects in shape, 
      - slight skin defects due to rubbing and other slight superficial 
      blemishes not covering a total of more than 2 cm2 of the surface of the 
      finger. 
      Under no circumstances may such slight defects affect the flesh of the 
      fruit. 
      (iii) Class II
      This class covers bananas which do not qualify for inclusion in the higher 
      classes but satisfy the minimum requirements specified above. 
      The following defects of the fingers are allowed, provided the bananas 
      retain their essential characteristics as regards quality, keeping quality 
      and presentation: 
      - defects of shape, 
      - skin defects due to scraping, rubbing or other causes, provided that the 
      total area affected does not cover more than 4 cm2 of the surface of the 
      finger. 
      Under no circumstances may the defects affect the flesh of the fruit. 
      III. SIZING
      Sizing is determined by: 
      - the length of the edible pulp of the fruit, expressed in centimetres and 
      measured along the convex face from the blossom end to the base of the 
      peduncle, 
      - the grade, i.e. the measurement, in millimetres, of the thickness of a 
      transverse section of the fruit between the lateral faces and the middle, 
      perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis. 
      The reference fruit for measurement of the length and grade is: 
      - the median finger on the outer row of the hand, 
      - the finger next to the cut sectioning the hand, on the outer row of the 
      cluster. 
      The minimum length permitted is 14 cm and the minimum grade permitted is 
      27 mm. 
      As an exception to the last paragraph, bananas produced in Madeira, the 
      Azores, the Algarve, Crete and Lakonia which are less than 14 cm in length 
      may be marketed in the Community but must be classified in Class II. 
      IV. TOLERANCES
      Tolerances in respect of quality and size shall be allowed within each 
      package in respect of produce not satisfying the requirements of the class 
      indicated. 
      A. Quality tolerances
      (i) 'Extra' class
      5 % by number or weight of bananas not satisfying the requirements for the 
      'extra' class but meeting those for Class I, or, exceptionally, coming 
      within the tolerances for that class. 
      (ii) Class I
      10 % by number or weight of bananas not satisfying the requirements of 
      Class I but meeting those for Class II, or, exceptionally, coming within 
      the tolerances for that class. 
      (iii) Class II
      10 % by number or weight of bananas satisfying neither the requirements 
      for Class II nor the minimum requirements, with the exception of produce 
      affected by rotting or any other deterioration rendering it unfit for 
      consumption. 
      B. Size tolerances
      For all classes, 10 % by number of bananas not satisfying the sizing 
      characteristics, up to a limit of 1 cm for the minimum length of 14 cm. 
      V. PRESENTATION
      A. Uniformity
      The contents of each package must be uniform and consist exclusively of 
      bananas of the same origin, variety and/or commercial type, and quality. 
      The visible part of the contents of each package must be representative of 
      the entire contents. 
      B. Packaging
      The bananas must be packed in such a way as to protect the produce 
      properly. 
      The materials used inside the package must be new, clean and of a nature 
      such as to avoid causing any external or internal deterioration of the 
      produce. The use of materials such as, in particular, wrapping papers or 
      adhesive labels bearing commercial indications is allowed provided that 
      the printing and labelling is done with a non-toxic ink or glue. 
      Packages must be free from any foreign matter. 
      C. Presentation
      The bananas must be presented in hands or clusters (parts of hands) of at 
      least four fingers. 
      Clusters with not more than two missing fingers are allowed, provided that 
      the stalk is not torn but cleanly cut, without damage to the neighbouring 
      fingers. 
      Not more than one cluster of three fingers with the same characteristics 
      as the other fruit in the package may be present per row. 
      In the producing regions, bananas may be marketed by the stem. 
      VI. MARKING
      Each package must bear the following particulars in writing, all on the 
      same side, legibly and indelibly marked and visible from the outside: 
      A. Identification
      B. Nature of produce
      - The word 'Bananas' where the contents are not visible from the outside, 
      - the name of the variety or commercial type. 
      C. Origin of the product
      Country of origin and, in the case of Community produce: 
      - production area, and
      - (optionally) national, regional or local name. 
      D. Commercial specifications
      - Class, 
      - net weight, 
      - size, expressed as minimum length and, optionally, as maximum length. 
      E. Official control mark (optional). 

      ANNEX II 

      List of the main groups, sub-groups and cultivars of dessert bananas 
      marketed in the Community >>>> ID="1">AA> ID="2">Sweet fig> ID="3">Sweet 
      fig, Pisang Mas, Amas Datil, Bocadillo>>> ID="1">AB> ID="2">Ney-Poovan> 
      ID="3">Ney Poovan, Safet Velchi>>> ID="1">AAA> ID="2">Cavendish> 
      ID="3">Dwarf Cavendish>>> ID="3">Giant Cavendish>>> ID="3">Lacatan>>> 
      ID="3">Poyo (Robusta)>>> ID="3">Williams>>> ID="3">Americani>>> 
      ID="3">Valery>>> ID="3">Arvis>>> ID="2">Gros Michel> ID="3">Gros Michel 
      ('Big Mike')>>> ID="3">Highgate>>> ID="2">Pink fig> ID="3">Figue Rose>>> 
      ID="3">Figue Rose Verte>>> ID="2">Ibota>>> ID="1">AAB> ID="2">Fig apple> 
      ID="3">Fig apple, Silk>>> ID="2">Pome (Prata)> ID="3">Pacovan>>> 
      ID="3">Prata Ana>>> ID="2">Mysore> ID="3">Mysore, Pisang Ceylan, Gorolo>>>

      End of the document

YES there really are people wasting YOUR money inventing ‘stuff’ like this – in fact they write similar regulations on every subject imaginable. The aim would seem, quite obviously, to provide jobs for cronies within the EU’s bureaucracy at the expense of freedom, choice and entrepreneurial spirit.

So far the regulations in the English language alone run to 186,000 pages!! Interpretation of these regulations provides endless work for useless lawyers, apparatchiks and the like ensuring the demise of more and more real industries and more and more jobs.

To NO GAIN the bureaucracy of the EU grows almost exponentially and yet it is now many years since they were able to have their accounts signed off by THEIR OWN auditors. 4 – 6 Billion Pounds go missing within the EU’s administration every single year like clockwork – despite their insistence on tighter and tighter administration of people who do real work to earn the taxes the EU squanders.

Regards,
Greg Lance - Watkins

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