PROVISIONAL AGENDA FOR THE FIFTIETH SESSION

Note by the secretariat: The Specialized Section meeting this year takes place in the same week as the Committee for Trade, Industry and Enterprise Development and the Executive Forum: Competing in a changing Europe. The parent body of the Specialized Section will report to the Committee on Monday afternoon and a session on agriculture will be held as part of the executive forum on Wednesday afternoon. Delegations to the Specialized Section are invited to participate in these events and the timetable has been arranged to allow this. See timetable for detailed information.

Documents marked with an asterisk have not been received at the time of the submission of the agenda and might only be available at the session.

Use of code marks, possibility for internationally harmonized marks

Timetable

ANNOTATIONS

1. Adoption of the agenda TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/1

According to the Commission's Rules of Procedure, the first item on the provisional agenda shall be the adoption of the agenda.

2. Matters of interest arising since the last session TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/2

Delegations will be informed about the work of interest that has taken place in different groups within and outside UNECE.

(a) UNECE

-   Committee for Trade, Industry and Enterprise Development

-   United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Commerce

-   Working Party on Technical Harmonization and Standardization Policy

-   Working Party on Transport of Perishable Foodstuffs

(b) Other organizations:

-   Codex Alimentarius Commission and Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

-   European Union

-   OECD Scheme for the Application of International Standards for Fruit and Vegetables

3. Proposals to revise UNECE Standards

(a) Cherries   TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/20 (European Community)

(b) Cultivated Mushrooms TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/21 (European Community)

(c) Early and Ware Potatoes   TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/7 (Germany)   TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/8 (France)

Work on early and ware potatoes was included in the work programme of the specialized section after the decision of the working party to abolish the specialized section on standardization of early and ware potatoes. At this session the delegation of Germany proposes to unite the standards for early and ware potatoes in one standard. Further amendments are expected from France.

(d) Kiwi fruit   TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/3 (New Zealand)   TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/4 (New Zealand)

The delegation of New Zealand presents in the documents the results of a meeting of the working group on kiwi fruit - 2004/3 and a new consolidated text of the standard. Following the consensus found at that meeting, the Working Party decided not to adopt the text agreed at the last meeting of the Specialized Section to the Working Party but to wait for a new consolidated text.

(e) Peaches and Nectarines   TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/24 (European Community)

The European Community transmitted proposals for amendments to the Standard for Peaches and Nectarines.

(f) Pears List of Varieties    TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/22

Changes to the list of varieties have been submitted by the European Community.

(g) Table grapes    TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/5 (South Africa)

At the last session the delegation of South Africa had prepared a list (based on contributions from different countries) where maturity requirements were listed according to the variety. A new version of this list is contained in 2004/5. Delegations are invited to complete the table with values for varieties, which are of concern to them. The delegation of Israel has indicated that colour is an important maturity requirement for them and they will introduce this issue at the session.

The Specialized Section will also be informed about progress made at the 11^th session of the CCFFV in September 2003.

(h) Watermelons   TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/6 (European Community)

4. Review of UNECE Recommendations

(a) Apples   TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/9 (New Zealand)     TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/10 (COPA/COGECA)*

The text of the recommendation will finish its trial period in November 2005.

In their document the delegation of New Zealand presents proposals concerning uniformity and maturity of apples.

In INF.1 the European Community indicates brix levels for apples.

A delegation of COPA/COGECA (European farmers and cooperatives association) will participate for the first time in the meeting and make comments on minimum sizes for apples.

Turkey and the European Community propose amendments to the list of varieties.

(b) Citrus fruit     TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/11 (South Africa)

The text of the recommendation will finish its trial period in November 2004.

At the last session a working group on Citrus Fruit was formed (Israel, South Africa, Germany United Kingdom, Spain, Turkey and the European Community) to further discuss maturity requirements and the simplification of the sizing provisions.

(c) Plums TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/12 (European Community)      INF.2 (South Africa)

The text concerning inter-specific hybrids will end its trial period in November 2004.

The delegation of South Africa will give a presentation concerning interspecific hybrids.

5. Proposals for new UNECE Standards

(a) Draft UNECE Standard for Shallots TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/13 (France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom)*

The working group will present a revised draft for this standard.

(b) Draft UNECE Standard for Truffles TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/14 (France, Spain, European Commission)*

The working group will present a revised draft for this standard.

(c) Draft UNECE Standard for Ceps The Specialized Section will be informed on progress made in the working group (Finland, France, Slovakia, Bulgaria).

6. Amendments to the general texts

(a) Proposal for a layout of new terms of reference for the Working Party and its Specialized Sections (Geneva Protocol, Standard Layout, Working Procedures)
TRADE/WP.7/2002/9/Add.12    TRADE/WP.7/2001/6   TRADE/WP.7/2001/9, paras. 75 to 81 TRADE/WP.7/2003/6 paras. 128-137 TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/15 (Secretariat)

In the document the secretariat proposes the layout for new terms of reference of the working party and the specialized sections combining texts which are at present contained in the Geneva Protocol, the standard layout and the working procedures.

The questions concerning the point of application and consumer packages (working group: European Community and United States) were left open in the document as more information on this question is expected from delegations.

(b) Compatibility of the control certificate and the UNECE layout key for trade documents INF.3 (Secretariat)

The Specialized Section is invited to discuss if the control certificate should be aligned with the layout key.

(c) Template for application for inclusion of varieties (Apples, Pears, Plums, Table Grapes)

At the last session a template for amendments to the list of varieties of the UNECE Standard for Apples was created. The delegation of Turkey used this template in their document (see TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/19) specialized section is invited to discuss the experience with this template and possibly create further templates for the other standards with lists of varieties.

(d) Stickers fixed directly on the fruit/vegetable

At the last session the standard layout was changed to include a sentence concerning stickers directly fixed on the individual fruit/ vegetable. Since then the question arose to which standards this sentence applies or if it should be included in all standards. In the following list of standards the secretariat has marked those with bold where the sentence could possibly apply:

7. Use of codes in UNECE Standards

(a) Use of code marks, possibility for internationally harmonized marks

At the last session it was mentioned that the use of code marks increases and that there should be some harmonization in the codes used, for example that each code should start with the ISO country code.

It was decided to:

To discuss the issue in the working group on harmonized produce coding, keeping in mind that there should be no duplication of the work of other organizations (e.g. the World Customs Organization)

The secretariat suggests to develop a questionnaire at the session and to send it out as an addendum to the report.

(b) Working Group on internationally harmonized produce coding   TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/16 (Secretariat)

The document contains the draft report of a meeting of the working group held at the invitation of EAN International and the European Community in Brussels in January 2004. Members of the working group might wish to make further comments.

The delegation of EAN International has proposed to give a comprehensive presentation at the next meeting of the Specialized Section on Fresh Fruit and Vegetables.

8. WHO strategy on diet, physical activity and health    INF.4 (Secretariat)

The secretariat will distribute information on this strategy at the meeting and invite a representative from WHO to report about the progress made in this area and to discuss joint actions to promote the consumption of fruit and vegetables.

9. Cooperation with the OECD Scheme    TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/17 (OECD)

At the last session the secretariat had proposed to consider if OECD brochures could be adopted as official interpretations of UNECE Standards as the practice of adopting OECD texts was already established (e.g. exchange of information on non-conformity cases). The proposal had been further discussed at the working party where some concerns due to the different membership of the bodies had been raised. As an experiment the OECD brochure for tomatoes is transmitted to the specialized section for information and discussion. No decision is expected at this session

10.List of authorities for exchange of information on non-conformity cases    TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2004/18 (Sweden)

The delegation of Sweden compiled a list of authorities for exchange of non-conformity information.

11.Application of UNECE Standards     INF.5 (Secretariat)

The secretariat will inform the Specialized Section on the status of Application of UNECE Standards.

12.Workshops, seminars, training courses and other activities concerning capacity building for the application of quality standards The Specialized Section will be informed about different capacity building activities already held in 2004 or planned to be held.

13.Other business

Any other business can be discussed under this item.

14.Future work and meetings

(a) Date and place of the next session

The next meeting of the Specialized Section has been scheduled tentatively from 28 February to 4 March 2005.

(b) Future work

Delegations are invited to make proposals for future work under this agenda item.

(c) Preparation of the next session of the Working Party

Any information to be transmitted to the next session of the Working Party should be mentioned under this agenda item.

15.Election of officers

According to the Commission's Rules of Procedure and established practice, the Meeting is expected to elect a Chair and a vice-chair. At the last session the Specialized Section elected Mr. D. Holliday (United Kingdom) as Chair and Ms. U. Bickelmann (Germany) as its Vice-Chair.

16.Adoption of the report

The Specialized Section will adopt the report of its fiftieth 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
UNECE Trade Division
Palais des Nations
Office 432
1211 Geneva 10
Tel: (41) 22 917 2450
Fax: (41) 22 917 0629
or by e-mail to:    agristandards@unece.org

Meeting documentation will be available on our homepage:  http://www.unece.org.unecedev.colo.iway.ch/trade/agr/welcomee.html