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COMMISSION REGULATION (EEC) No 2196/82

of 6 August 1982

amending for the 1982/83 marketing year Regulation (EEC) No 1641/71 laying down quality standards for dessert apples and pears

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN

COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1035/72 of 18 May 1972 on the common organization of the market in fruit and vegetables (1), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 1203/82 (2), and in particular Article 2 (3) thereof,

Whereas Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1641/71 (3), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 1674/81 (4), fixed quality standards for apples and pears as set out in the Annex to that Regulation;

Whereas it is stated in that Regulation that fruit must be in a state of development and ripeness such that it can withstand the transport and handling operations required for it to arrive in satisfactory condition at its place of destination; whereas that standard appears to cover only over-ripeness and not under-ripeness; whereas the standard should be supplemented in order to prevent fruit being marketed before it has begun the ripening process;

Whereas the validity of the measures described above should be limited to a period during which their effectiveness can be assessed;

Whereas the Management Committee for Fruit and Vegetables has not delivered an opinion within the time limit set by its chairman,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

In Section II 'Quality requirements' of the Annex to Regulation (EEC) No 1641/71 the following paragraph is hereby added at the end of 'A. Minimum requirements':

'The fruit must in any case have reached a degree of maturity such that the ripening will continue after picking; to determine whether this degree has been reached, the competent agencies in the Member States may use a colorimetric scale and/or a starch regression test (iodine test).'

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

It shall apply during the 1982/83 marketing year.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 6 August 1982.

For the Commission

Poul DALSAGER

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ No L 118, 20. 5. 1972, p. 1.

(2) OJ No L 140, 20. 5. 1982, p. 36.

(3) OJ No L 172, 31. 7. 1971, p. 1.

(4) OJ No L 168, 25. 6. 1981, p. 13.