./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.98.363
28 July 1998
(98-3009)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  NETHERLANDS
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries
Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be
indicated if different from above:           
National Enquiry Point – EC WTO-TBT Enquiry Point
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Fruit and vegetables grown
in Netherlands
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: PT Regulation on Quality
Requirements for Fruit and Vegetables 1997
6. Description of content:  Since 1977, the marketing board has applied this regulation
according to which the quality requirements with which the said vegetable and fruit types
are required to comply are stipulated.  The regulation was re-established in 1997 because
the Marketing Board for Fruit and Vegetables was merged with the Marketing Board for
Horticulture.  In 1997 and 1998, the regulation has been amended in terms of a number of
areas. This version incorporates all amendments made.  The products listed in the regulationshall meet the quality requirements. European standards apply to a number of products
(strawberries, apricots, endive and curled endive, apples and pears, artichokes, asparagus,
aubergines, bananas, blanched celery, cauliflower, citrus fruits, courgettes, green peas,
grapes, cherries, kiwi fruit, garlic, cucumber, cabbage lettuce, melons, peppers, peaches and
nectarines, leaks, plums, headed cabbage, French beans and string beans, spinach, Brusselssprouts, tomatoes, onions, corn salad, chicory and carrots).  The purpose of this regulation
is, inter alia, to implement this EC legislation. Except for minimum requirements, the
following products are not subject to any EC standards.  The marketing board has adopted
the standards for these products which apply by analogy of the EC requirements for other
products:
berries:  appendix 9 and appendix 10;  curly kale: appendix 13;
blackberries:  appendix 14;  broccoli:  appendix 15;
brown marrowfat peas:  appendix 16;  mushrooms:  appendix 17;
Chinese cabbage:  appendix 18;  raspberries:  appendix 23;
chervil:  appendix 25;  celeriac:  appendix 27;turnip-rooted fennel:  appendix 28;  kohlrabi:  appendix 31;
swedes:  appendix 32;  beetroot:  appendix 34;G/TBT/Notif.98.363
Page 2
6. (cont'd)
gooseberries: appendix 35;  paksoi:  appendix 36A;
parsley: appendix 39;  pulses:  appendix 40;
purslane: appendix 41;  turnip tops:  appendix 44;
rhubarb: appendix 45;  radish:  appendix 46;rettich: appendix 46A;  salsify:  appendix 47;
celery: appendix 48;  shallots:  appendix 49;
broad beans:  appendix 55.
The requirements concern:
-  classification and tolerance levels
-  categories-  packaging
-  designation
This only concerns products which are grown in the Netherlands.
This regulation includes the following amendments, exemption and implementing decrees.They are:
-  amendments: 1997/2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8; 1998/1, 2, 3 and 4
-  exemption decree 1997/1 to 4, 6, 8, 10 to 13; 1998/1 to 3
-  implementing decrees 1997/1 and 2, 4 and 5
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: In
accordance with the Agricultural Quality Act, rules may be drawn up regarding product
quality.  The PT Regulation on quality requirements for fruit and vegetables 1997 prescribesstandards for a number of vegetable and fruit products. Since the EC has not established
standards for the products listed under 6, the PT has established standards for these,
whereby an attempt has been made to adopt as much as possible the European classification
which has been drawn up for the other produ cts. The EC has not drawn up any rules
because the importance of these products within an EC context is minor. They are, however,of considerable importance within the Netherlands. The marketing board has drafted the
regulation to promote fair trading and consumer protection, objective inspections and
possible intervention measures.
8. Relevant documents:  EC Regulation 2200/96 on the Community organisation of markets in
the fruit and vegetables sector under the Agricultural Act - Agricultural Quality Decree on
fruit and vegetables
9. Proposed date of adoption:  1 September 1998
Proposed date of entry into force:  2 September 1998
10. Final date for comments:  31 August 1998
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, e-mail and telefax number of
the other body: