Voluntary Report - public distribution

**Date:** 1/21/2005

**GAIN Report Number:** CH5006

CH5006

**China, Peoples Republic of**

**FAIRS Product Specific**

**GB10344 Labeling Prepackaged Alcoholic Beverages (G/TBT/N/CHN/72)**

**2005**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)Maurice W. House

U.S. Embassy, Beijing

**Prepared by:**

Adam Branson

**Report Highlights:**

China notified new changes to GB10344 \"General Standard for the
Labeling of Prepackaged Alcoholic Beverages\" to the WTO on January 10,
2005 through G/TBT/N/CHN/72. The document applies to alcoholic beverages
between 0.5 percent and 60 percent alcohol content by volume. China\'s
WTO TBT Enquiry Point is accepting comments for 60 days following the
notification. All interested U.S. parties exporting alcoholic beverages
to China should provide comments to the USDA FAS Office of Food Safety
and Technical Supervision. The following is an UNOFFICIAL translation of
the draft provided free of charge for the benefit of U.S. exporters.

Includes PSD Changes: No

Includes Trade Matrix: No

Unscheduled Report

Beijing \[CH1\]

\[CH\]

Table of Contents

[**Disclaimer 3**](#disclaimer)

[Background 3](#background)

[BEGIN TRANSLATION 4](#begin-translation)

[Foreword 4](#foreword)

[General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Alcoholic Beverage
5](#general-standard-for-the-labeling-of-prepackaged-alcoholic-beverage)

[1. Scope 5](#scope)

[2. Normative references 5](#normative-references)

[3. Terms and definitions 5](#terms-and-definitions)

[3.1 Alcoholic beverage 5](#alcoholic-beverage)

[3.2 Fermented alcoholic drink (brewed alcoholic drink)
5](#fermented-alcoholic-drink-brewed-alcoholic-drink)

[3.3 Distilled spirits\*\* 5](#distilled-spirits)

[3.4 Blended alcoholic beverage (liqueur)
6](#blended-alcoholic-beverage-liqueur)

[3.5 Alcoholic strength (ethanol content)
6](#alcoholic-strength-ethanol-content)

[4. Basic requirements 6](#basic-requirements)

[5. Indication contents 6](#indication-contents)

[5.1 Mandatory contents indication 6](#mandatory-contents-indication)

[5.2 Remission of mandatory indication contents
8](#remission-of-mandatory-indication-contents)

[5.3 Recommended contents indication
8](#recommended-contents-indication)

[END TRANSLATION 8](#end-translation)

[G/TBT/N/CHN/72 9](#gtbtnchn72)

# Disclaimer

Information in this translated report may not be completely accurate
either because policies may change when the regulation is adopted, or
because clear and consistent information about these policies was not
available. Therefore U.S. exporters should try to verify all import
requirements with their foreign customers, who are normally best
informed, before any goods are shipped. Final import approval of any
product is subject to the importing country's rules and regulations as
interpreted by border officials at the time of product entry. In the
event of any errors or omissions in this translation, the original
Chinese version shall prevail.

This report is a free translation provided by the USDA Foreign
Agricultural Service Agricultural Affairs Office in Beijing, China for
those interested in exporting American food and agricultural products.
Please send any comments and questions to the USDA FAS Office of Food
Safety and Technical Services Division (see the following website for
contact information http://www.fas.usda.gov/itp/ofsts/ofsts.html).

# Background

China notified GB10344 "General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged
Alcoholic Beverages" to the WTO TBT Committee on January 10, 2005
(G/TBT/N/CHN/72). The notification allows 60 days for comments. All
comments from interested U.S. parties should be sent to the USDA FAS
Office of Food Safety and Technical Services Division.

This standard cites language in the most recent version of GB7718 the
National Standard for Prepackaged Foods (TBT/33 and GAIN report CH4026).
In addition, the document references language from GB2760 the National
Hygienic Standard for the Application of Food Additives (CH1046) and its
supplements (listed in the China FAIRS Country Report CH5008).

## BEGIN TRANSLATION

# Foreword

Clause 5.3 of this Standard is recommended; other clauses are mandatory.

This standard is one of a series of national standards for the labeling
of foods, which are completed with GB 7718-2004 General Standard for the
Labeling of Prepackaged Foods. Its basic requirements and general
clauses are the same as that of the GB 7718-2004, which adopts the CODEX
STAN 1- 1985 (Rev. 1991, 1999) General Standard for the Labeling of
Prepackaged Foods of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) in a
nonequivalent manner.

This Standard supercedes GB 10344 -1989.

Compared with GB 10344 - 1989, the major changes of the Standard are as
follows:

\- to have been renamed the General Standard for the Labeling of
Prepackaged Alcoholic Beverage;

\- to have changed the alcohol content of alcoholic beverage to 0.5 % by
volume \~ 60.0% by volume from the original 0.5% \~ 65.0% (V/V);

\- to have changed Chapter 4 "General Provision" of the original
standard to the "Basic Requirements;" appropriately amended Clause 4.10
of GB 7718 - 2004; and added the content of "4.11 All indication
contents shall not be attached to additionally, printed supplementary or
interpolated;"

\- to have canceled Chapter 6;

\- to have determined the contents of mandatory indication, remission of
indication and non-mandatory indication (see 5.1, 5.2, 5.3);

\- to have added the contents of "in addition to that the detailed name
of food sweetening agent, preservative or colorant shall be indicated,
others can be indicated based on the classified names as stipulated in
the GB 2760 (see Clause 5.1.2.2); "processing agents" do not need to be
indicated in the "raw materials" or "raw and auxiliary materials" (see
Clause 5.1.2.3);

\- for glass bottled beers, "words of caution" are required (see Clause
5.1.10);

\- for alcoholic drinks that are controlled by the license for the
manufacturing of industrial products, it is required to label the sign
and number of manufacturing license (see Clause 5.1.11);

\- grape wines and other alcoholic beverages with alcoholic strength
more than 10% by volume can be exempt from labeling the quality
guarantee duration (see Clause 5.2):

\- it is recommended to use "persuading words" for labeling of drinking
(see Clause 5.3.2.2).

This Standard is presented by the China National Light Industry
Associations

This Standard resides in the National Food & Fermentation
Standardization Center.

China National Academy of Food & Fermentation Industries, Tsingtao
Brewery Co., Ltd., Beijing Yanjing Beer Group Corporation, China Great
Wall Wine Co., Ltd. and Wuliangye Group Co., Ltd. are in charge of
drafting this Standard.

Major drafters are Tian Qijing, Fan Wei, Feng Jingzhang, Tian Yali, Liu
Peilong, Chen Bin, Li Xiaoqing, Dong Jianjun, Xiong Zhenghe, Liu Wen.

The original standard superceded by this Standard was first released in
1989 (GB10344 - 1989).

# General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Alcoholic Beverage

# 1. Scope

This Standard specifies the followings:

\- terms and definitions of the labeling of prepackaged alcoholic
beverage (see Chapter 3);

\- the basic requirements for the labeling of prepackaged alcoholic
beverage (see Chapter 4);

\- the mandatory indication contents of the labeling of prepackaged
alcoholic beverage (see Clause 5.1);

\- exempting from mandatory indication contents of the labeling of
prepackaged alcoholic beverage (see Clause 5.2);

\- the non-mandatory indication contents of the labeling of prepackaged
alcoholic beverage (see Clause 5.3).

This Standard is applicable to the labeling of all prepackaged alcoholic
beverages to be supplied to customers.

# 2. Normative references

Through being cited in this Standard, the clauses contained in the
following references will consist of ones of this standard. For all
dated references, all their subsequent amendments, exclusive of
corrected contents, or revised versions will be not applicable to the
standard. However, any parties that come to an agreement in accordance
with this standard shall be encouraged to make a study of the
possibility of adopting the latest version of the following normative
references. Where the references are not dated, their latest versions
are applicable to this standard.

GB 2760 Hygienic Standard for the Application of Food Additives

GB 4927- 2001 Beer

GB 7718 - 2004 General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods
\[neq CODEX STAN 1 - 1985 (Rev. 1 - 1991, 1999)\]

GB/T 12493 Classification and Numbering of Food Additives.

GB/T 17204 - 1998 Classification of Alcoholic Beverages

# 3. Terms and definitions 

The following terms and definitions designated in GB 7718 - 2004 are
applicable to this Standard.

## 

## 3.1 Alcoholic beverage

Alcoholic liquors with 0.5% by volume \~ 60.0% by volume of alcoholic
strength (ethanol content), including all kinds of fermented alcoholic
drinks, distilled spirits and blended alcoholic beverages\*.

## 

## 3.2 Fermented alcoholic drink (brewed alcoholic drink)

Alcoholic beverages with alcoholic strength not more than 24% by volume,
prepared through fermenting and brewing with grains, fruits, milk and so
on as raw material.

\[Rewritten from Clause 3.1 Definitions of GB/T 17204 -- 1998\]

## 

## 3.3 Distilled spirits\*\*

Alcoholic beverages with 18% by volume \~ 60% by volume of alcoholic
strength, prepared through fermenting, distilling, brewing and blending,
with grains, sweet potatoes, fruits and so on as the major raw material.

\[GB/T 17204 - 1998, Clause 3.2 Definition\]

## 

## 3.4 Blended alcoholic beverage (liqueur)

Alcoholic beverages, prepared through blending, mixing or reprocessing,
by adding edible auxiliary materials or food additives, taking fermented
alcoholic drink, distilled spirits or edible spirits as wine base, which
have changed the special flavor of original wine base.

\[GB/T 17204 - 1998, Clause 3.3 Definition\]

## 3.5 Alcoholic strength (ethanol content) 

At 20°C, the content of ethanol in milliliter contained in 100ml of
alcoholic beverage, or the content of ethanol in gram contained in 100g
of alcoholic beverage.

Note 1: In consideration of the current international practice, the
alcoholic strength can be expressed in volume fraction, in % vol. Before
December 4, 2004, the alcoholic strength of beer can still be expressed
in mass fraction, in % (m/m).

Note 2: It is pointed out in ISO 4805 - 1982 that % by volume and % by
mass shall be used in priority.

# 4. Basic requirements 

4.1 \~ 4.9 Same as 4.1 \~ 4.9 of the GB 7718 - 2004.

4.10 Each minimum package (selling unit) shall have the indication
content as given in Clause 5.1. In case that there is another packing
(box) being delivered directly to customers outside the internal package
(bottle), the mandatory indication content may be only on the packing.
For its external package or large size package, the relevant product
standards shall be implemented.

4.11 All indication contents shall not be attached additionally, printed
supplementary or interpolated.

# 5. Indication contents 

## 5.1 Mandatory contents indication

5.1.1 Name of liquor

5.1.1.1 Special name reflecting true attribute of alcoholic beverage
shall be indicated clearly on the striking position of label

5.1.1.1.1 One of several names already specified in the national or
trade standard shall be selected.

5.1.1.1.2 In case of no name given in the national or trade standard,
common or popular name that enables customers not to misunderstand or
confuse shall be adopted.

5.1.1.2 "Newly created name", "peculiar name", "transliterating name",
"brand name", "regional slang name", or "trademark name" can be
indicated. However, one optional name as given in Clause 5.1.1.1 shall
be shown in the position adjacent to the shown name of liquor.

5.1.2 List of ingredients

5.1.2.1 A list of ingredients shall be given in the label of prepackaged
alcoholic beverage, except for the alcoholic beverage made from a single
material.

5.1.2.1.1 A list of ingredients of alcoholic beverage shall take "raw
material" or "raw and auxiliary materials" as title.

5.1.2.1.2 Various kinds of raw materials and ingredients shall be listed
in decreasing order based on the consumption in the production process.
The ingredients under 2% of consumption amount may not be listed in the
decreasing order.

5.1.2.1.3 In the course of brewing or processing, added water and edible
alcohol shall be given in the list of ingredients.

5.1.2.1.4 For blended alcoholic beverage (liqueur), the wine base to be
used, edible animals and plants (or their products) to be cross-steamed,
soaked and added, Chinese herbal medicines allowed by the state, and
food additives shall be labeled.

5.1.2.2 In case the national or industrial standard for the alcohol
products specifies that the application of food additives are allowed,
the additives shall be in conformity to the provisions of GB 2760. The
detailed name of the sweetening agent, preservative and colorant shall
be labeled. The concrete name or classified name of other food additives
shall be labeled according to GB 2760. In case 2 or more colorants are
added to one kind of liquor, its classified name (colorant) can be
labeled, adding brackets after it, indicating the codes as specified in
GB/T 12493.

5.1.2.3 The processing agents to be used in the production and
processing of alcoholic beverages does not need to be shown in "raw
materials" or "raw and auxiliary materials".

5.1.3 Alcoholic strength

5.1.3.1 Any alcoholic beverage shall indicate the alcoholic strength.

5.1.3.2 On showing the strength, "alcoholic strength" shall be taken as
title.

5.1.4 Original extract content, fruit juice content

5.1.4.1 Beers shall show "original malt extract concentration."

Labeling method: to be expressed as "Plato degree" symbol "°P". Before
GB/T 17204-1998 is revised, the symbol "°"can be used for expressing the
original malt extract concentration, for example, original malt extract
concentration: 12°.

5.1.4.2 Fruit wines shall show original fruit juice content (except for
grape wine).

Labeling method: to be expressed as "X X%" in the raw and auxiliary
materials.

5.1.5 Name and address of manufacturer and distributor

Same as Clause 5.1.5 of the GB 7718 - 2004.

5.1.6 Date labeling and storage instruction

5.1.6.1 The packaging (filling) date and quality guarantee period of
prepackaged alcoholic beverages shall be labeled clearly, also adding
the storage time. For date labeling, the indication of seeing some place
of the package can be adopted. The concrete position of the packing
shall be shown.

5.1.6.2 The date shall be indicated in the order from year, month to
day. Generally, the year shall label 4 digits. For fractionally packed
beverage to be hard to show 4 digits, latter 2 digits can be labeled.

Example 1: packaging (filling) date: to be filled on Jan. 15, 2004,
which can be indicated as follows:

"2004 01 15" (year, month, day to be separated with a space character);
or

"20040115" (no space character among the year, month and day); or

"2004-01-15" (year, month, day to be separated with a hyphen); or

"Jan. 15, 2004"

Example 2: Quality guarantee duration can be labeled as follows:

"Please drink before July 15, 2004"; or

"Quality guaranteed to 2004-07-15"; or

"6 months or 180 day quality guarantee period."

5.1.6.3 In case the quality guarantee period or storage time of
alcoholic beverages is related to the preservation conditions, the
specific preservation conditions shall be indicated. This shall be
implemented in accordance with the standard for the relevant products.

5.1.7 Net content

5.1.7.1 The indication of net content shall be composed of net content,
figures and legal metrological unit.

5.1.7.2 The net content of alcoholic beverages generally is shown with
volume, in milliliter or mL (ml), liter or L (l). Large jars of yellow
rice wine can be indicated with mass, in kilogram or kg.

5.1.7.3 The metrological unit of net content and requirement for minimum
height of characters shall be same as Clauses 5.1.4.3 and 5.1.4.4 of GB
7718 - 2004.

5.1.7.4 The net content together with name of beverage shall be shown on
the same layout of the pack or container.

5.1.7.5 In case there are several same fractional packs being mutually
independent in the same prepackage, the net content of the pack and its
quantity or pieces shall be labeled.

5.1.8 Standard code of product

Same as Clause 5.1.7of GB 7718 - 2004.

5.1.9 Quality grade

Same as Clause 5.1.8 of GB 7718 - 2004.

5.1.10 Caution words

For glass bottled beer, "Caution words" shall be labeled in accordance
with Clause 7.1.1 of GB 4927 - 2001.

5.1.11 Manufacturing license

The brewing enterprises that have implemented the control system of
license for the manufacturing of industrial products will be required to
indicate the sign and number of manufacturing license for their
products.

## 

## 5.2 Remission of mandatory indication contents 

Grape wine and other alcoholic beverages with alcoholic strength more
than 10% by volume can be exempt from indicating the quality guarantee
duration.

## 

## 5.3 Recommended contents indication 

5.3.1 Lot number

Same as Clause 5.3.1 of GB 7718 - 2004.

5.3.2 Drinking method

5.3.2.1 If necessary, such instructions helping to consumers as opening
method of containers like bottle, pot; drinking method, daily drinking
amount, and blending method can be given.

5.3.2.2 It is recommended to use the persuading words that excessive
drinking is harmful to health; pregnant woman and children are
unsuitable to drink, etc..

5.3.3 Energy and nutriments

Same as Clause 5.3.3 of GB 7718 - 2004.

5.3.4 Types of products

5.3.4.1 For fruit wine, grape wine and yellow rice wine, type of product
or sugar content can be labeled.

Fruit wine, grape wine and yellow rice wine are suitable to label "dry",
"semi-dry", "semi-sweet" or "sweet"; or its sugar content. The labeling
method shall be based on the relevant product standard.

5.3.4.2 In case of taking fruit wine, grape wine and yellow rice wine as
wine base, the blended alcoholic beverage (liqueur) or sugaring
alcoholic drink shall label its sugar content.

5.3.4.3 Distilled spirits that has already determined flavor type can
label "flavor type."

\*3.1 Individual kinds of traditional white spirits existing before 1989
can maintain the alcoholic strength of the original product.

\*\*3.2 Same as above.

## END TRANSLATION

# G/TBT/N/CHN/72

+--------------------------------------------------+-------------------+
| **[World Trade]{.smallcaps}**                    | *                 |
|                                                  | *G/TBT/N/CHN/72** |
| ###### Organization                              |                   |
|                                                  | 10 January 2005   |
|                                                  |                   |
|                                                  | (05-0097)         |
+--------------------------------------------------+-------------------+
| **Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade**     | Original: English |
+--------------------------------------------------+-------------------+

NOTIFICATION

The following notification is being circulated in accordance with
Article 10.6.

+----+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| ** | **Member to Agreement notifying:** [THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF    |
| 1. | CHINA]{.underline}                                              |
| ** |                                                                 |
|    | **If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles    |
|    | 3.2 and 7.2):**                                                 |
+----+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| ** | **Agency responsible:** Standardization Administration of China |
| 2. | (SAC)                                                           |
| ** |                                                                 |
|    | **Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail |
|    | and web-site addresses, if available) of** **agency or          |
|    | authority designated to handle comments regarding the           |
|    | notification shall be indicated if different from above:**      |
|    |                                                                 |
+----+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| ** | **Notified under Article 2.9.2 \[** X **\], 2.10.1 \[ **  **\], |
| 3. | 5.6.2 \[ **  **\], 5.7.1 \[ **  **\], other:**                  |
| ** |                                                                 |
+----+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| ** | **Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise      |
| 4. | national tariff heading.\                                       |
| ** | ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):**   |
|    | All pre-packaged alcoholic beverage (ICS：67.160.10)            |
+----+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| ** | **Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified        |
| 5. | document:** General Standard for the Labelling of Prepacked     |
| ** | Alcoholic Beverage （6 pages, in Chinese）                      |
+----+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| ** | **Description of content:** This standard provides general      |
| 6. | requirements and contents of mandatory labelling, exemption     |
| ** | from mandatory labelling, and voluntary contents of labelling   |
|    | for prepacked alcoholic beverage.                               |
|    |                                                                 |
|    | General requirements include:                                   |
|    |                                                                 |
|    | 4.1- 4.9: the same as the sub-sections 4.1- 4.9 of GB 7718      |
|    |                                                                 |
|    | 4.10: Each minimum package (sale unit) shall label the content  |
|    | which is described in sub‑section 5.1. If there is other        |
|    | wrapper (box) which is offered directly to consumer outside the |
|    | alcoholic beverage containers, it is also permitted that only   |
|    | the wrapper shows the contents of mandatory labelling. The      |
|    | labelling of the outer packaging (or large packaging) shall     |
|    | follow the relevant product standard.                           |
|    |                                                                 |
|    | 4.11: All declared contents shall not be added, supplemented,   |
|    | or juggled.                                                     |
|    |                                                                 |
|    | Contents of mandatory labelling include:                        |
|    |                                                                 |
|    | Alcoholic beverage name, ingredients list, alcohol content,     |
|    | crude amount of original wort or juice (except wine), name and  |
|    | address of the manufacturer, date of packaging, use-by date,    |
|    | net content, implemented standard code, quality grade, caution, |
|    | production licence code.                                        |
+----+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| ** | **Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent       |
| 7. | problems where applicable:**                                    |
| ** |                                                                 |
|    | To protect consumers\' benefit, prevent cheating and maintain   |
|    | fair trade.                                                     |
+----+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| ** | **Relevant documents:**                                         |
| 8. |                                                                 |
| ** | CAC CODEX STAN 1-1985(1991, 1999)                               |
|    |                                                                 |
|    | GB 7718-2004 \"General standard for the labelling of            |
|    | prepackaged foods\"                                             |
+----+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| ** | **Proposed date of adoption:** 90 days after circulation by WTO |
| 9. | Secretariat                                                     |
| ** |                                                                 |
|    | **Proposed date of entry into force:** 6 months after adoption  |
+----+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| *  | **Final date for comments:** 60 days after circulation by WTO   |
| *1 | Secretariat                                                     |
| 0. |                                                                 |
| ** |                                                                 |
+----+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| *  | **Texts available from: National enquiry point \[** X **\] or   |
| *1 | address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site         |
| 1. | addresses, if available of the other body:**                    |
| ** |                                                                 |
|    | China WTO/TBT National Enquiry Point                            |
|    |                                                                 |
|    | Tel.: +86 10 82260618                                           |
|    |                                                                 |
|    | Fax: +86 10 82262448                                            |
|    |                                                                 |
|    | E-mail: <tbt@aqsiq.gov.cn>                                      |
+----+-----------------------------------------------------------------+