On 30 August 2001 the Hungarian authorities sent the Commission a request for the approval of checking operations performed by animal health and foodstuff control centres under the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture and Regional Development. This states that Hungary's animal health and foodstuff control centres have the necessary staff, equipment and facilities to carry out checks, that they use methods equivalent to those referred to in Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 1148/2001 and that the fresh fruit and vegetables exported from Hungary to the Community must meet the Community marketing standards.