Nominal quantities for prepacked products

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Jacques TOUBON (EPP-ED, FR) and made some amendments to the Council's common position. These were the results of a compromise deal between the Council and Parliament:

-An additional part recital states that Member States who have not already done so should consider whether to transpose Directive 98/6/EC voluntarily to certain small retail businesses as well;

-Since the maintenance of mandatory nominal quantities should be regarded as a derogation, except in the wine and spirits sector, which has specific features, it should be periodically reassessed in the light of experience and in order to meet the needs of consumers and producers. For these sectors, when the Commission ascertains a disturbance of market conditions and/or a destabilisation of consumer behaviour, particularly that of the most vulnerable consumers, it may authorise Member States to maintain transitional periods and in particular to maintain the most sold mandatory range sizes.

-In Member States where prepacked bread forms a high proportion of regular consumption, there is a strong correlation between pack size and bread weight. As with other prepacked products, existing pack sizes for prepacked bread traditionally in use will not be affected by the Directive and can continue to be used;

-the Commission shall observe market developments after transposition, and shall consider, in the light of the results of that monitoring, applying follow-up measures to the Directive by maintaining mandatory packing sizes for the goods referred to in Article 2(2) (milk, butter, dried pasta and coffee and white sugar.)