The standardization activities of the UNECE include the harmonization of
existing national standards into international commercial quality standards
for a wide range of perishable products, including fresh fruit and vegetables,
dry and dried product (fruit as well as vegetables), seed potatoes, eggs and
egg products, meat (bovine, chicken, llama/alpaca, ovine, porcine, and turkey)
and cut flowers. The UNECE Working Party on Agricultural Quality Standards
(WP.7) and its specialized sections have drawn up close to 100 standards for
the purpose of facilitating international trade between and to UNECE member
countries (see List of agricultural
quality standards).
The Geneva Protocol on Standardization of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables and Dry
and Dried Fruit sets the basis for this work. Worldwide Codex standards for
fruit juices and quick frozen foods have also been prepared by joint groups
of experts of UNECE and the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission.
Many of the UNECE standards for perishable produce have been used as reference
in the European Commission regulations. The OECD Scheme for the Application
of International Standards for Fruit and Vegetables prepares explanatory brochures
to interpret UNECE Standards. These brochures, which include colour photographs
illustrating specific defects and instructions for evaluating such defects,
explain the provisions of the standards and promote their uniform application
internationally. UNECE also publishes explanatory brochures on meat products.
UNECE commercial quality standards find a wide international acceptance,
due to their practicality as concerns trade facilitation and the substantial
role played by the region in international trade in perishable produce. Workshops
on the harmonization of national standards with international commercial standards
and quality control procedures have been organized in countries in transition
to facilitate trade.
These standards affect all countries exporters of perishable produce, particularly
those exporting to the European region.
Website: http://www.unece.org/trade/agr