31.3.2006 Official Journal of the European Union L 93/1 | (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 509/2006 of 20 March 2006 on agricultural products and foodstuffs as traditional specialities guaranteed THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 37 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (%), Whereas: (1) The production, manufacture and distribution of agri- cultural products and foodstuffs play an important role in the Community economy. The diversification of agricultural production should be encouraged. The promotion of traditional products with specific characteristics could be of considerable benefit to the rural economy, particularly in less-favoured or remote areas, both by improving the income of farmers and by retaining the rural population in these areas. For the sound running of the internal market in food- stuffs, economic operators should be provided with instruments allowing them to enhance the market value of their products while protecting consumers against improper practices and guaranteeing fair trade. Council Regulation (EEC) No 2082/92 of 14 July 1992 on certificates of specific character for agricultural products and foodstuffs (3 defines the certificates of specific character, and the term ‘traditional speciality guaranteed’ was introduced by Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1848/93 (’), which lays down the detailed rules for applying Regulation (EEC) No 2082/92. The certificates of specific character, more commonly referred to as ‘traditional specialities guaranteed’, meet consumer demand for traditional products with specific characteristics. Given the diversity of products on the (") Not yet published in the Official Journal. (®» OJ L 208, 24.7.1992, p. 9. Regulation as last amended by Regu- lation (EC) No 806/2003 (OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 1). () OJ L 168, 10.7.1993, p. 35. Regulation as last amended by Regu- lation (EC) No 2167/2004 (O] L 371, 18.12.2004, p. 8). (% OJ L 109, 6.5.2000, 2003/89/EC (O] L 308, 25.11.2003, p. 15). market and the abundance of information concerning them, consumers should, in order to be able to make better choices, be provided with clear and succinct infor- mation regarding the specific characteristics of these foodstuffs. With a view to clarification, the term ‘certificate of specific character’ should be abandoned in favour of ‘traditional speciality guaranteed’ alone, which is easier to understand and, in order to make the goal of this Regulation more explicit for producers and consumers alike, the term ‘specific character’ should be precisely defined and a definition of the term ‘traditional’ should be introduced. Certain producers would like to derive market value from traditional agricultural products or traditional foodstuffs the inherent characteristics of which distinguish them clearly from similar products or foodstuffs. In order to protect the consumer, the traditional speciality guar- anteed should be subject to inspection. Such a voluntary system, enabling operators to make known the quality of an agricultural product or a foodstuff throughout the Community, should offer every guarantee in order to ensure that any references which may be made to the quality in the trade are substantiated. The labelling of agricultural products and foodstuffs is subject to the general rules laid down in Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 March 2000 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs (4). In view of their specific character, however, special additional provisions should be adopted for traditional specialities guaranteed. In order to make for easier and quicker iden- tification of traditional specialities guaranteed produced within the Community, use of the indication ‘traditional speciality guaranteed” or the associated Community symbol should be made obligatory on their labelling, while affording operators a reasonable amount of time to adjust to this requirement. p. 29. Directive as last amended by Directive