20.1.2004 Official Journal of the European Union L 13/19 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 86/2004 of 15 January 2004 laying down the marketing standard for pears THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 of 28 October 1996 on the common organisation of the market in fruit and vegetables ('), and in particular Article 2(2), Whereas: (1) Pears are among the products listed in Annex I to Regu- lation (EC) No 2200/96 for which standards must be adopted. Commission Regulation (EC) No 1619/2001 laying down the marketing standard for apples and pears and amending Regulation (EEC) No 920/89 () lays down a marketing standard common to apples and pears. (2)  The Working Party on Standardisation of Perishable Produce and Quality Development of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNJECE) having decided, in the interest of clarity, that the rules on pears should be separated from those on apples, Regulation (EC) No 1619/2001 has been repealed by Commission Regulation (EC) No 85/2004 of 15 January 2004 laying down the marketing standard for apples (). A new marketing standards for pears should be adopted accord- ingly. (3)  Application of these new standards should remove products of unsatisfactory quality from the market, bring production into line with consumer requirements and facilitate trade based on fair competition, thereby helping to improve profitability. (4)  The standards are applicable at all marketing stages. Long-distance transport, storage over a certain period and the various processes the products undergo may cause some degree of deterioration owing to the biolo- () OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 472003 (O] L 7, 11.1.2003, p. 64). () OJ L 215, 9.8.2001, p. 3. Regulation amended by Regulation (EC) No 46/2003 (O] L 7, 11.1.2003, p. 61). () See page 3 of this Official Journal. gical development of the products or their perishable nature. Account should be taken of such deterioration when applying the standard at the marketing stages following dispatch. (5)  As products in the ‘Extra’ class have to be particularly carefully sorted and packaged, only lack of freshness and turgidity is to be taken into account in their case. (6)  The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Atrticle 1 The marketing standard for pears, falling within CN code ex 0808 20, shall be as set out in the Annex. The standard shall apply at all marketing stages under the conditions laid down in Regulation (EC) No 2200/96. However, at stages following dispatch, products may show in relation to the requirements of the standard: — a slight lack of freshness and turgidity, — for products graded in classes other than the ‘Extra’ class, slight deteriorations due to their development and their tendency to perish. Atticle 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.