In 1988, the Netherlands, taking into account the EC legislation on the organization of the common market in fishery products and the need to improve the marketing of fish and fisheries products, adopted the above Decree.
The Decree is a general rule which lays down the basic measures to regulate the quality requirements and the organization of the control of quality fish and fisheries products in order to improve marketing. As such, it establishes the conditions to which fish and fisheries products are subject and the competent controlling authorities. The Decree distinguishes between two kinds of quality requirements: compulsory and optional. Optional in the sense that it is up to the producer to increase the quality of his products ahead of the compulsory rules (minimum quality requirements to be respected). The Minister is authorized to formulate a label and trade-mark system, to decide which documents are needed to ensure compliance with the rules in respect of various quality classes, and with the scope to distinguish qualitively these fish and fishery products from other fish and fishery products which comply with the minimum requirements established in the Law on Goods. This Decree also provides for the participation of producers' organizations for the purpose of formulating such measures. Finally article 9 sets out the competent controlling authority and its powers.