TITLE IIIPROCESSING AID
CHAPTER IFruit and vegetables
Article 23Payment of the minimum price
1
Without prejudice to cases covered by Article 22(1)(b), processors shall pay the price of the raw materials to the producer organisation or individual producer exclusively by bank or post office transfer order.
Producer organisations shall pay producers the full amount referred to in the first subparagraph within 15 working days of receipt, by bank or post office transfer order. In cases as referred to in Article 22(1)(b), payment may be made by opening a credit. France shall adopt the measures necessary to check compliance with this paragraph and shall provide in particular for penalties to be imposed on the administrators of the producer organisation according to the seriousness of any failure to comply.
2
France may adopt additional provisions relating to processing contracts, covering in particular time limits, terms and methods of payment of the minimum price and damages payable by processors, producer organisations or producers where they do not fulfil their obligations under contracts.