APPLICATION OF QUALITY TOLERANCES AT IMPORT[18] (Agenda Item 7)

76. The Committee at its last session agreed to discuss the application of quality of tolerances at import at its current meeting (ALINORM 97/35, paras. 81-82).

77. The delegation of Canada noted that at the Committee’s last session, three options for the establishment of quality tolerances at import were considered:

• Quality tolerances at the import control stage are the same as the tolerances at shipping point;
• An increase in quality tolerances at the import stage, and;
• Let buyers and sellers set quality tolerances through a contractual agreement more strict than those set out in option (a) at the import stage.

78. The Committee noted that in many cases, a great amount of transport time was required in the shipment of perishable produce. However, it was also recognized that governments commonly harvest and export produce in order to arrive at import in compliance with established tolerances on the basis of minimum requirements in product standards. It was noted that compliance with such tolerances was often the responsibility of buyers and sellers.

79. In view of the above discussion, the Committee decided not to pursue this issue further.