Council Regulation (EC) No 479/2008 (repealed)Show full title

Article 64 Producer organisations

1. Member States may recognise producer organisations which:

(a) are constituted by producers of products covered by this Regulation;

(b) are formed on the initiative of producers;

(c) pursue a specific aim, which may in particular relate to one or more of the following:

(i)

adapting production jointly to the requirements of the market and improving the product;

(ii)

promoting concentration of supply and the placing on the market of the products produced by its members;

(iii)

promoting the rationalisation and improvement of production and processing;

(iv)

reducing production costs and market management costs and stabilising producer prices;

(v)

promoting and providing technical assistance for the use of environmentally respectful cultivation practices and production techniques;

(vi)

promoting initiatives for the management of by-products of wine making and the management of waste in particular to protect the quality of water, soil and landscape and preserving or encouraging biodiversity;

(vii)

carrying out research into sustainable production methods and market developments;

(viii)

contributing to the achievement of support programmes as referred to in Chapter I of Title II;

(d) apply rules of association which require their members, in particular, to:

(i)

apply the rules adopted by the producer organisation relating to production reporting, production, marketing and protection of the environment;

(ii)

provide the information requested by the producer organisation for statistical purposes, in particular on growing areas and market evolution;

(iii)

pay penalties for infringement of obligations under the rules of association;

(e) have lodged an application for recognition as a producer organisation with the Member State concerned and the application contains the following items:

(i)

evidence that the entity meets the requirements laid down in (a) to (d);

(ii)

evidence that it has a minimum number of members, to be laid down by the Member State concerned;

(iii)

evidence that it covers a minimum volume of marketable production in the area where the organisation operates, to be laid down by the Member State concerned;

(iv)

evidence that it can carry out its activities properly, both over time and in terms of effectiveness and concentration of supply;

(v)

evidence that it effectively enables its members to obtain technical assistance in using environmentally sound cultivation practices.

2. Producer organisations recognised in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 shall be considered as recognised producer organisations under this Article.