More Bananas

Sue Doughty

A personal comment

Mr Blair has latched onto a line that the banana directive is nonsense when lambasting us on the folly of opposing the EU constitution. We don't want to go taking any notice of that, what silly people we must be to doubt his wisdom.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 2257/94 of 16 September 1994 is nonsense, he clearly implies. The quality standards applicable to bananas falling within CN code ex 0803, excluding plantains, fig bananas and bananas intended for processing, are laid down in Annex I thereto.

These standards shall apply to bananas originating in third countries at the stage of release for free circulation, to bananas originating in the Community at the stage of first landing at a Community port, and to bananas delivered fresh to the consumer in the producing region at the stage of leaving the packing shed.

It stresses that this Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States and entered into force on 1 January 1995.

The following defects of the fingers are allowed, provided the bananas retain their essential characteristics as regards quality, keeping quality and presentation. This list begins with - defects of shape.

So Mr Blair is right, we are to be allowed to have bent bananas and anyone who says otherwise is talking nonsense.

The fact that there is an organisation entitled to spend British tax payers money on writing a banana directive, and that this edict from a foreign power is now binding on the UK is cause enough for me to vote No to any European referendum on every given occasion. I thank him for reminding us of it so eloquently.

I do not want to have the right to tell the good people of Finland or Portugal how their bananas shall be allowed to be, I do not want a share in their sovereignties or their national responsibilities either.

And that is not nonsense, nor was that wisdom paid for by taxpayers.