European Commission Heralds New Dawn For The Curvy Cucumber

Rules governing the size and shape of fruit and vegetables will be consigned to history after European Union member states voted Wednesday on the Commission’s proposals to repeal specific marketing standards for 26 types of fruit and vegetables, the Commission said in a press release.

Marketing standards will remain unchanged for ten types of fruit and vegetables, including apples, strawberries and tomatoes, but even for these ten, member states could for the first time allow shops to sell products that don't respect the standards, as long as they are labeled to distinguish them from 'extra', 'class I' and 'class II' fruit. In other words, the new rules will allow national authorities to permit the sale of all fruit and vegetables, regardless of their size and shape.

"This marks a new dawn for the curvy cucumber and the nobbly carrot," said Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development.

"It's a concrete example of our drive to cut unnecessary red tape. We simply don't need to regulate this sort of thing at EU level. It is far better to leave it to market operators. And in these days of high food prices and general economic difficulties, consumers should be able to choose from the widest range of products possible. It makes no sense to throw perfectly good products away, just because they are the 'wrong' shape," she added.

The Commission also reminded that during last year's negotiations on the reform of the Common Market Organization for fruit and vegetables, the Commission committed itself to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy by getting rid of a number of marketing standards for fruit and vegetables.

Wednesday’s vote means that these standards will be repealed for 26 products: apricots, artichokes, asparagus, aubergines, avocadoes, beans, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflowers, cherries, courgettes, cucumbers, cultivated mushrooms, garlic, hazelnuts in shell, headed cabbage, leeks, melons, onions, peas, plums, ribbed celery, spinach, walnuts in shell, water melons, and witloof/chicory.

The European Commission will formally adopt the changes which, for practical reasons, will be implemented from July 1, 2009.

 

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