Nominal quantities for prepacked products

 The committee adopted the report by Jacques TOUBON (EPP-ED, FR) amending the Council's common position under the 2nd reading of the codecision procedure:

- the committee upheld Parliament's position as adopted at 1st reading that national rules on nominal quantities should continue to apply to pre-packed bread throughout the EU. These nominal quantities were specified in an amendment to the Annex, under the heading 'Products sold by weight': "on the interval from 400g to 1000g, only the following two sizes: 400g - 800g". The committee also amended the part of the Annex dealing with product definitions, so as to include 'Standard British Loaf';

- for white sugar, whereas the Council had set a transitional period of 6 years for phasing out existing national pack sizes, the committee deleted this clause and reinstated the original provisions laid down by the Commission in the Annex for nominal quantities under the heading 'Products sold by weight'. It also reinstated the Commission's original product definitions of white sugar;

- lastly, the committee wanted the Commission to revisit the legislation at a later date in the light of market developments after the directive takes effect.