Nominal quantities for prepacked products

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drawn up by Jacques TOUBON (EPP-ED, FR) and made some amendments to the Commission’s proposals:

- a new recital states that astudy devoted to the impact of the Directive on the most vulnerable consumers (the elderly, the visually impaired, the disabled, consumers with a low level of education, etc.) has confirmed the theory that deregulation of packaging formats would entail major drawbacks for these consumers, while triggering a reduction in the number of brands offered to the consumer and hence reducing choice and, consequently, competition in the market;

- the number of goods for which the Commission was proposing to retain mandatory package sizes as a derogation from the general policy of deregulation (spirits, wines, soluble coffee, white sugar and most products sold in aerosols) should be extended to include drinking milk, butter, ground or unground roasted coffee, dried pasta, rice and brown sugar. Products such as these, as staples of the average consumer's diet, should only be sold in a restricted number of sizes;

- milk will be sold only in 100, 200, 250, 500, 750, 1000 and 1500 millilitre containers, or, where the system of imperial units of measurement is in force: on the interval from one third of a pint - 6 pints only the following 8 sizes: Pint: 1/3-1/2-1-2-3-4-5-6;

the directive shall not apply to pre-packed bread, spreadable fats or tea, for which national rules on nominal quantities shall continue to apply.

- the Directive will not apply to the products listed in the Annex when sold in duty-free shops for consumption outside the EU;

- the Commission shall submit a report on the implementation and effects of this Directive to the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, in eight years and every ten years thereafter. Where necessary, the report will be accompanied by a proposal for revision;

- nominal quantities within the intervals covered by the Annex that are not listed in the Annex but were marketed immediately prior to the entry into force of the Directive may continue to be placed on the market until stocks are exhausted, for up to 18 months after the entry into force of the Directive.