I. CHEMICAL MAXIMUM
RESIDUE LEVELS (MRLS)
Please click on the above link for a list of chemical MRLs.
II. CHEMICALS AND ADDITIVE INFORMATION
A. Chemical residue standards:
As a member of the European Union (EU), Austria applies Maximum
Residue Levels (MRLs) as established by the EU as well as setting
its own standards for chemicals not registered by the EU.
DPA (diphenylamine): In November
2009, the EU Commission made an unanticipated decision to stop the
sale of products containing DPA (used in the U.S. for scald
control on apples) effective May 30, 2010. EU maximum
residue levels will be maintained through the end of the 2010-2011
marketing season and perhaps beyond. A legal challenge to
this decision has been mounted by the EU DPA Task Force and
additional residue studies are underway to address questions
raised in the EU risk assessment.
B. Monitoring chemical residues:
C. Restrictions on use of waxes:
The European Union (EU) permits the use
of white beeswax, yellow beeswax, candelilla wax, carnauba wax and
shellac on apples and pears (EC directive 95/2/EC).
Morpholine is not allowed to be present
as an additive to waxes or other food coatings. There is
active enforcement of this prohibition.
III. ORGANIC FRUIT REGULATIONS
All producers and importers must
comply with European Commission regulations regarding the
production, labeling, certification and control of organic foods.
In Austria, importers must apply
for an import license to import organic food products. The
importer must also present the certificate of the U.S. monitoring
organization that certifies that the product is "organic."
Labeling must be in German and the
following statements are permitted.
"From Organic
Agriculture"
"From Organic - Biological Agriculture"
"From Biological - Dynamic Agriculture"
"From Ecological Agriculture"
Please
refer to the Organic Fruit Regulations section of the European Union
page of this manual for more information.
IV. TARIFFS
As a member of the European Union (EU), Austria
applies the EU's tariff schedule and entry price system on apple,
pear and cherry imports. Please refer to the EU chapter for
additional information.
V. NON-TARIFF BARRIERS
A. Labeling requirements:
European Union (EU) labeling requirements apply. Please refer
to labeling requirements in EU chapter.
B. Licenses and quotas:
EU licensing/quota regulations, if any, apply.
Please refer to EU chapter for additional information.
C. Currency Issues:
D. Pest and plant disease restrictions:
E. Other trade restrictions:
VI. SUBSIDIES
Producers may obtain subsidized credits for
modernization of buildings, storage and machinery. Installation
of hail nets and irrigation equipment is also subsidized.
Fruit growers participating in
the integrated fruit production program limit their use of
pesticides and fertilizers. In return, they receive AS
7,000/ha.
Organic production is
subsidized by AS 10,000/ha/yr.
Austria is interested in EU support of producer
organizations (PO's). There is currently one fruit PO in Styria.
Austrian fruit producers benefit from POs primarily in regard
to marketing. A PO can place 50% of its membership fees into
an enterprise fund. This amount is then matched by a contribution
from Brussels. Producer Organizations can then finance quality
improvement, environmental, and generic marketing measures with
money from the enterprise fund. Austria states that it is in
favor of the gradual reduction of EU intervention quantities and
intervention prices as these policies have never played an important
role in the Austrian fruit industry. Please refer to EU
chapter for additional information.
VII. OTHER RESOURCE LINKS:
Governmental:
VIII. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
