12 November 2008

Press release

Dismantling of marketing standards: European Commission ignores
interests of the European fruit and vegetables sector

Brussels. “The European Commission is to impose its plans to dismantle the marketing
standards for fruit and vegetables despite broad opposition from the sector. It is giving priority to
its own bureaucratic and administrative interests and those of certain retailers, ignoring the
interests of those that benefit from the standardisation policy”, declared Pekka PESONEN,
Secretary General of Copa and Cogeca.
“The use of objective parameters such as size and uniformity helps put a clear and univocal price
on each quality, at both the producer and consumer level. As such, EU marketing standards have
helped to fairly and transparently balance out trade”, he added.
“From 1 July 2009, the majority of fruit and vegetables placed on the market will no longer reply
on common rules. We fear that the absence of EU standards will lead Member States to establish
national standards and that private standards will proliferate, which will only hamper the
smooth running of the single market and hinder simplification”, concluded Pekka PESONEN.
For further information, please contact:
Dominique Dejonckheere
Senior Policy Coordinator
Mobile: +32 474 18 99 14
dominique.dejonckheere@copa-cogeca.eu
Simon Michel-Berger
Press Officer
Mobile: + 32 474 840 836
simon.michel-berger@copa-cogeca.eu
CDP(08)7256:1
Copa - Cogeca | European Farmers European Agri-Cooperatives
61, Rue de Trèves | B - 1040 Bruxelles | www.copa-cogeca.eu