Vice-president Verheugen verwelkomt deregulatie op voorverpakte goederen (en) - Hoofdinhoud

The European Commission welcomes the agreement of the European Parliament to simplify EU legislation on prepacked products. The directive allows free sizes for all prepacked products, except for wines and spirits, for which mandatory EU sizes already exist. This would mean the replacement of 27 different national rules and two EU directives on nominal quantities by one single EU directive. It also reflects jurisprudence by the European Court of Justice, which has gradually led to liberalisation of pack sizes. This is another step to deliver on the Commission's work programme to simplify EU legislation under the Better Regulation initiative. The Competitiveness Council will vote on the agreement in its meeting of 21/22 May.

Commission Vice President Günter Verheugen, Commissioner for Enterprise and Industry, welcomes the vote in Parliament. "This is a practical example, of the strategy on Better Regulation and for the simplification of the regulatory environment. Consumers will benefit from more choice and lower prices due to increased competition and products can be produced and sold in whatever size manufacturers desire. â€

The proposal abolishes provisions dating from the seventies fixing nominal quantities in which products can be sold. It also simplifies regulation on nominal quantities by merging two directives and by combining regulation on metrological control of pre-packed products, currently dealt with under two directives, in one single act. Consequently, it repeals directives 75/106 and 80/232 and extends the scope of directive 76/211.

Background information

The European Parliament, on its first reading in February 2006, tabled 33 amendments, 18 of which aimed at expanding the number of sectors under obligatory pack sizes (drinking milk, butter, pasta, roasted coffee, brown sugar, rice) and one aimed at reducing the scope of the Directive to exclude a host of sectors (pre-packed bread, tea, coffee) The others concerned consumer protection.

In its amended proposal COM (2006)171, the Commission accepted the amendments of the Parliament, except the ones introducing Community sizes in new sectors or reducing the scope of the directive. The amended proposal took out the initially proposed derogations for soluble coffee and white sugar, as currently many Member States do not have legislation fixing sizes for these sectors.

The Council in its unanimously adopted Common Position supported the Commission's amended proposal. However, in order to obtain support by all Member States, the Council agreed to allow Member States, who so wish, to phase-out existing rules governing national sizes for five sectors (milk, butter, dried pasta and coffee for 5 years and white sugar for 6 years as from the entry into force of the Directive).

During the debate, rapporteur Jacques Toubon (Internal Market Committee), underlined that the Parliament supported the Common Position, because it took account of the views expressed by the EP in first reading by maintaining national sizes as a temporary measure in certain sectors. The 4 amendments by Parliament in second reading clarify the revision clause and urge Member States to consider voluntarily extending application of unit pricing to certain Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME's). A recital explains that British bakers can continue to produce prepacked bread in existing sizes .

The directive complies with the ruling by the European Court of Justice in 2000 (case 99/3, Cidre - Ruwet) which has liberalised all imported pack sizes in the EU since 2001.

The Commission's impact assessment showed that free sizes reduce barriers of entry to markets and increase competition. This should result in more choice and lower prices for consumers. Unit pricing (price per litre or kilo), which is obligatory in large shops, allows consumers to make a well-informed choice on pricing.

Further information:

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/prepack/packsize/packsiz_en.htm