Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be adopted in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Working Party on Agricultural Quality Standards

The standard-setting activities of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) are carried out by the Working Party on Agricultural Quality Standards (WP.7) according to the Geneva Understanding on Agricultural Quality Standards. The European Union participates as an observer in the UNECE WP.7.

Pursuant to Article 75(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 the Commission is empowered to set out marketing standards in the fruit and vegetables sector by delegated act. Specific marketing standards are laid down for certain fruit and vegetable products by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 543/2011. These specific marketing standards are based on the UNECE quality standards for these products.

Before their adoption by UNECE WP.7., the proposals are extensively discussed between scientific and technical experts of the fruit and vegetables sector in the Specialised Sections on Standardisation, in which experts from Member States take part. Their adoption in UNECE WP.7. should therefore be supported subject to conditions ensuring their compliance with Union law and in particular with Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, and their alignment with Union interests and objectives in the area of agriculture policy.

EUR-Lex: COM(2017)425: Follow the progress of this proposal through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2017:425:FIN

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