You are here:

Consultation on the implementation and enforcement of the EC Marketing Standards in fresh fruit and vegetables as revised by Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1221/2008

The European Commission has revised the Marketing Standards for fresh fruit and vegetables. The revisions aim to harmonise, consolidate, simplify and bring some deregulation to the Marketing Standards and their application for all fresh fruit and vegetables covered by them. The revisions to the Marketing Standards have been done by introducing Commission Regulation (EC) No 1221/2008, which amends Commission Regulation (EC) No 1580/2007.

This consultation sought views about the implementation and enforcement of reforms to the Marketing Standards regime, specifically the amendments which have been made to Commission Regulation (EC) No 1580/2007. The reforms apply from 1 July 2009. In the meantime the current standards will remain in place and will be enforced until 30 June 2009. We intend to review the implementation and enforcement of this policy within 3 years of implementation.

As part of the consultation process we held industry workshops on:

  • 30 March at New Covent Garden Market, London
  • 7 April in Warrington
  • 15 April in Peterborough

We specifically sought views on:

  • our risk-based assessment systems;
  • whether to extend the Approved Trader Scheme;
  • the costs and benefits section of the partial Impact Assessment, particularly in relation to the Approved Trader Scheme and the additional level of interest among traders of availing of the option that enables the ATS to be extended wider;
  • our intention to exercise the retail sale exemption to the Specific Marketing Standards for products sold to the consumer for their personal use and labelled as ‘intended for processing’; and
  • any other aspects of the consultation.

This consultation covered both England and Wales and consisted of:

For Welsh language versions please see the Welsh Assembly Government website at
wales.gov.uk/consultations/environmentandcountryside/?lang=en

The final Statutory Instrument, Explanantory Memorandum and Impact Assessment are available on the Office of Publication Sector Information website

Further information on marketing standards can be found at:
www.rpa.gov.uk/rpa/index.nsf/vDocView/5D019A67581BEF418025712A00439A17?OpenDocument

Page last modified: 15 June 2009
Page published: 25 March 2009