ANNOTATIONS
Item 1 Adoption of the agenda
According to the Commission's Rules of Procedure,
the first item on the provisional agenda is the adoption
of the agenda.
Item
2 Matters of interest arising since the forty-sixth
session
Document TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/2
sums up the relevant outcome of fourth session
of the Committee for Trade, Industry and Enterprise
Development and the fifty-sixth session of the
Working Party on Standardization of Perishable
Produce and Quality Development.
Item 3 Proposals
to revise UN/ECE standards
(a) Annonas
Document for this session:
TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/3 (Spain)
A document proposing
amendments to this standard is expected from Spain.
(b) Apples
and Pears (list of varieties)
Standard in force: TRADE/WP.7/2000/11/Add.1
Documents for this
session: TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/4
TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/4/Add.1 (New Zealand)
TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/4/Add.2 (New Zealand)
TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/4/Add.3 (New Zealand)
The revised UN/ECE
Standard for Apples and Pears was adopted at the
last session of the Working Party. The list of
varieties was attached to the standard in the new
format with the existing contents. For this session
proposals from the working group are expected concerning
the list of varieties and the splitting of the
standard into one for apples and one for pears.
The working group is also expected to give recommendations
on the proposal made by the Ukraine at the last
session (contained in TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2000/INF.6).
(c) Avocados
(maturity requirements)
Recommendation in trial
period: TRADE/WP.7/2000/11/Add.15
Document for this session:
TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/5 (European Community)
The recommendation
was adopted by the Working Party for a two-year
trial period. At the last session it was stressed
by several delegations that a minimum level of
maturity achieved at harvest should be defined
in the standard to ensure acceptable ripening,
but maturity requirements should not be used to
distinguish quality classes. A proposal on this
question was received by the European Community.
(d) Beans
Standard in force: TRADE/WP.7/2000/11/Add.2
Discussion at the Working
Party: TRADE/WP.7/2000/11, para. 18
Document for this session:
TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/6 (European Community)
At the last session
of the Working Party the delegation of the Netherlands
said that its industry had indicated problems with
the provisions concerning rust spots in Class II.
It felt that "practically free" was open to interpretations
and it could happen that the Netherlands would
not be able to deliver Beans at certain periods
because of the rust spots caused by unfavourable
weather conditions. It said it did not want to
stop the standard now but would like to come back
to that question at the next session of the Specialized
Section. A proposal on this question was received
by the European Community.
(e) Citrus
Fruit (maturity requirements)
Standard in force: TRADE/WP.7/2000/11/Add.3
Document for this session:
[TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/7 (Spain)]
The delegation of Spain
informed the last session a that research project
had been started in two centres to establish the
relationship between the parameters min/max acid
content and min/max sugar content and a panel test
would be held in France, Germany and Spain. The
delegation of Spain will report about any preliminary
results of this project.
(f) Kiwifruit
Document for this session:
TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/8 (New Zealand)
The rapporteur (New
Zealand) reported at the last session that little
progress had been made because there had been no
session of IKO since the last session of the Specialized
Section. The working group had considered the proposal
received from the European Community (see TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2000/11)
and decided to include it in the consultations
with the IKO. A session of the IKO was held in
August, where the questions raised in the working
group were discussed. The working group is expected
to present proposals at this session.
(g) Lettuce
Document for this session:
TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/9 (European Community)
The document contains
a proposal from the European Community for amendments
to the standard.
(h) Onions
Document for this session:
TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/10 (European Community)
The document contains
a proposal from the European Community for amendments
to the standard.
(i) Peaches
and Nectarines (maturity requirements)
Document for this session:
[TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/11 (Chile, France, Greece,
Italy, Portugal, South Africa, Sweden)]
At the last session
it was decided to align the standard with the standard
layout but to integrate this change into a more
comprehensive proposal including maturity requirements
and size "D". A working group (Chile, France, Greece,
Italy, Portugal, South Africa and Sweden) was formed
which is expected to present a proposal at this
session.The working group is also expected to give
recommendations on the proposal made by the Ukraine
at the last session (contained in TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2000/14).
(j) Peas
Standard in force: TRADE/WP.7/2000/11/Add.5
Document for this session:
[TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/12 (European Community)]
The document contains
a proposal from the European Community raising
the problem of "trimmed" peas and a possible contradiction
to the minimum requirement "intact".
(k) Peppers
Document for this session:
TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/13 (European Community)
The document contains
a proposal from the European Community for amendments
to the standard.
(l) Table Grapes
(maturity requirements, bunch weight)
Standard in force: TRADE/WP.7/2000/11/Add.6
Documents for this
session: TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/14 ( South Africa)
TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/14/Add.1
(European Community)
The revised UN/ECE
Standard for Table Grapes was adopted at the last
session of the Working Party. At the last session
of the Specialized Section a working group (Chile,
Greece, South Africa) was formed to prepare a proposal
on brix values and varieties. The present documents
have been received from South Africa on bunch weight
and from the European Community on brix values
and varieties.
Item 4 Proposal
for a draft UN/ECE Standard for Pineapples
Document at the last
session: TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2000/20 (COLEACP)
Documents for this
session: TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/15 (South Africa)
TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/15/Add.1
(COLEACP)
TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/15/Add.2
(COLEACP)
Comments on the document
distributed at the last session have been received
from South Africa.
Item 5 Proposal
to create an internationally recognized list
of trade descriptions and classification codes
for fruits and vegetables.
Documents for this
session: TRADE/WP.7/2000/11, paras. 71-76
[TRADE/GE.1/WP.7/2001/16
(EAN International)]
EAN International is
an organization operating world-wide in the area
of electronic commerce (supply chain management,
article numbering, bar codes, modelling) and is
very active in the Specialized Section on Standardization
of Meat (e.g. co-hosting the meeting of rapporteurs
in Brazil). EAN International has indicated to
the secretariat that they wish to raise the issue
of generic coding for fruits and vegetables.
In addition to company
product-specific codes, both national and quasi-international
classification code lists are currently linked
to EAN/UCC standards. As a result, EAN members
are often confused by the variety of codes used,
and dissatisfied with the lack of "internationally
recognized" trade descriptions and classification
codes for fruits and vegetables.
It is suggested to
negotiate a code list for fruits and vegetables
under the auspices of the UN/ECE.
During the discussion
at the Working Party several delegations expressed
their interest in this matter but stated that they
would like to get further information before coming
to any decision. The Chairman stated that, in his
opinion, the following steps would have to be taken:
- evaluate current
practice (codes, trade descriptions)
- get clear information
about the status of the codes used
- explore possibilities
of international harmonization of these codes
A document on this
issue is expected from EAN International
Item 6 Issues
concerning trade marks and names of varieties
Documents for this
session: TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/17
This document sums
up the information provided to the Legal Counsel
by the secretariat and the reply received.
Item 7 Establishment
of a list of countries using code marks
Documents for this
session: TRADE/WP.7/2000/11, paras.84-85
TRADE/WP.7/2000/11/Add.22
The issue was discussed
at the last session of the Working Party. South
Africa proposed the preparation of a list of countries
not accepting code marks and requiring the full
name and address of the packer or dispatcher.
The Working Party accepted
this proposal. It requested the secretariat to
prepare a small questionnaire as addendum 22 to
this report to request this information from all
countries and to publish the results on the home
page. The secretariat will report on any preliminary
results.
Item 8 Exchange
of information on non-conformity cases
Documents for this
session: TRADE/WP.7/2000/11, paras.77-81
TRADE/WP.7/2000/11/Add.21
At its last session
the Working Party adopted the relevant OECD document.
It was published as TRADE/WP.7/2000/11/Add.21.
It was mentioned that a list of contact points
for quality control would be useful for the application
of this document. The Working Party decided to
request the specialized sections GE.1 and GE.2
to establish such lists.
At the last session
the secretariat informed the group that within
the Trade Facilitation Section of the UN/ECE Trade
Division, the UN Electronic Data Interchange for
Administration, Commerce and Transport Standard
(UN/EDIFACT) had been developed, a worldwide standard
for the electronic exchange of trade data through
messages. Cooperation between the two groups to
create a new UN/EDIFACT message for the exchange
of information on non-conformity cases was suggested.
The secretariat will report on any developments.
Item 9 Review
of the Guide on Implementation of Quality Control
Documents for this
session: TRADE/WP.7/2000/11, paras. 82-83
AGRI/WP.1/R.190
The OECD Guide on Implementation
of Quality Control was adopted in 1990. At the
last session of the Working Party proposed to publish
the Guide on Implementation of Quality Control
on the home page. As many delegations were not
familiar with this document, it was decided to
request the GE.1 Specialized Section to review
it and make recommendations to the Working Party
as to its use.
Item 10 E-mail
and web site addresses in UN/ECE Standards
The Secretariat received
a letter from South Africa stating the following:
The UN/ECE standards
require that the name and address or officially
issued or accepted code mark be indicated on cartons
to identify the packer and/or dispatcher. Furthermore,
the national requirements of some EU member countries
require the explicit declaration of the name and
address of the packer and/or dispatcher.
Since the advent of
the internet and e-mail more and more companies
are making use of websites to promote themselves
and e-mail to correspond with others and to do
business. By visiting the website of producers/exporters
a wealth of information can be accessed directly
and instantly, including postal and physical addresses.
In the light of the aforementioned we would like
to propose to the Specialized Section that website
and e-mail addresses also officially be recognized
in addition to conventional addresses in this regard.
Item 11 Participation
to the Specialized Section
At the last session
it was agreed that the Chairman, assisted by the
secretariat, write a letter encouraging participation
especially to international associations of large
distributors. The Specialized Section will be informed
on any developments.
Item 12 Acceptances
Document for this session:
TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2001/18
The secretariat has
prepared a consolidated document listing by standard
the acceptances of countries. This information
can also be found on the web site of the agricultural
standards unit at:
www.unece.org/trade/agr under
the menu item GENERAL.
Item 13 Matters
of interest arising from the work of
(a) Codex Alimentarius
Commission
(b) European
Union
(c) OECD Scheme
Delegations of these
organizations have been invited to report on activities
of relevance to the Specialized Section.
Item 14 Operational
activities
Delegations are invited
to report on recent activities and any plans for
the future.
Item 15 Other
business
Item 16 Preparation
of the next session
(a) Future
work
Delegations are invited
to make proposals for future work of the Specialized
Section.
(b) Date and
place of the next session
(c) Preparation
of the 57th session of the Working Party on Standardization
of Perishable Produce and Quality Development
Delegations are invited
to mention any item that should be brought to the
attention of the Working Party.
Item 17 Election
of officers
According to the Commission's
Rules of Procedure and established practice, the
Specialized Section is expected to elect a Chairperson
and a Vice-Chairperson. At its forty-sixth session
the Group elected Mr. D. Priester (United States)
as its Chairperson and Ms. U. Bickelmann (Germany)
as its Vice-Chairperson.
Item 18 Adoption
of the report
The Working Party will
adopt the report of its forty-seventh session on
the basis of a draft prepared by the secretariat.
NOTE BY THE SECRETARIAT:
Contributions should
be sent to the secretariat either on diskette by
mail to :
Food Standards
Officer, UN/ECE Trade Division
Palais des
Nations, Office 432
1211 Geneva 10
Tel: (41) 22 917 2450 Fax: (41) 22 917 0041
or by e-mail to: [email protected]
Meeting documentation
will be available on our homepage:
http://www.unece.org/trade/agr/welcome.htm
In
accordance with security instructions, participants
should complete the Conference Registration
form overleaf and return it to the secretariat
before 10 May 2001 by
fax (+ 00 41 22 917 0041).
In Geneva, before entering the Palais des Nations, please proceed with
the original of your form to the Security Section situated at the Villa
les Feuillantines (as indicated on the attached map), where your badge
will be ready for collection. |
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