Brussels, 13/11/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 12 November, the secretary general of COPA (European farmers) and COGECA (European-cooperatives), Pekka Pesonen, declared: “The European Commission is to impose its plan to dismantle the marketing standards for fruit and vegetables despite broad opposition from the sector”. Mr Pesonen explained that the Commission “is giving priority to its own bureaucratic and administrative interests and those of certain retailers”. According to the secretary general of the European agricultural organisations, the use of objective parameters such as size and uniformity helps to “put a clear and univocal price on each quality” at both producer and consumer levels. He also said that EU marketing standards have helped to balance out trade in a way that is both fair and transparent. Getting rid of these Community standards could lead to member states establishing national standards and a proliferation in private standards. (L.C./transl.rh)