Regulation (EEC) No. 3796/81 on the common organization of the market in fishery products provides for the possibility of adopting common marketing standards for fishery products in the Community, particularly in order to keep products of unsatisfactory quality off the market and to facilitate trade relations based on fair competition. On the basis of this legislative framework, the Council has enacted this Regulation which defines the standards governing the marketing of preserved sardines. Only products meeting the requirements established by article 2 may be marketed as preserved sardines. In particular, they must be (i) prepared exclusively from fish of the species Sardina pilchardus Walbaum', (ii) prepackaged with any appropriate covering medium in a hermetically sealed container, and (iii) sterilized by appropriate treatment. Article 4 regards presentation. After sterilization, the products in the container must satisfy as a minimum the criteria referred to in article 6 (1).