Ministerial Joint Decree No. 266355 laying down additional implementing rules for Council Regulation No. 1234/2007 as amended by Commission Regulation 361/2008 concerning the National Strategy for sustainable operational programmes in the fruit and vegetable sector.

This Decree lays down additional implementing rules for Council Regulation (EC) No. 1234/2007, to which provisions of Regulations (EC) Nos. 1182/2007 and 1580/2007 have been incorporated. The provisions of the Decree regard the common organization of the fruit and vegetable sector, establish the scope and structure of the National Strategy for sustainable operational programmes and the National Framework for Environmental Actions (EA).
The National Strategy for sustainable operational programmes in the fruit and vegetable sector (Chapter I) is laid down according to the guidelines deriving from the recent reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The environmental dimension of the National Strategy aims at maintaining and protecting the natural environment. The policy shaped through the National Strategy is focused on three fundamental pillars: a) improvement of the competitiveness and better orientation of the fruit and vegetable sector in the market, so that it may contribute to the achievement of a sustainable production, able to be competitive both within and out of the Communitarian market; b) improvement of the attractiveness of Producers Organisations; and c) continuation of the efforts for the maintenance and the protection of environment.
The National Framework for Environmental Actions in the fruit and vegetable sector is laid down in Chapter II. With this Framework are established the general terms for the implementation of Environmental Actions deriving from the operational programs of Producers Organisations, aiming at alleviating the pressure on the environment from the agricultural activity and more specifically, by the cultivation of fruits and vegetables. The Framework describes and sets out the rules for environmental actions which aim at a sustainable management of agricultural lands and soils. The general objective of these Actions is the maintenance and protection of the environment. The general objective shall be achieved through the following specific objectives: a) protection of soils; b) protection and maintenance of water quality; c) sustainable use of aquatic resources; d) protection and maintenance of biodiversity and habitats e) protection and maintenance of landscape; f) mitigation of climate change impacts; g) reduction and/or improved management of waste. To this purpose, the Environmental Actions of the fruit and vegetable sector will supplement measures falling under pillar II of the CAP, and mainly trough Axis 2 (agri-environment payments). Chapter III deals with Producers Organizations and the operational programmes deriving thereof while Chapter IV focuses on Producers Groups in the smaller Aegean islands. Chapter V lays down detailed provisions on the scope and application of crisis prevention and management measures in the fruit and vegetable sector.