. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/EEC/57 
24 February 2004  
 
(04-0785) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English 
   
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:   European Commission 
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:    
European Commission, 
EC-TBT Enquiry Point, 
Fax:  0032 2 299 80 43, E-mail:  ec-tbt@cec.eu.int
 
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [    ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:         
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in  addition, where applicable):   Certain wine sector 
products, especially quality wines 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Commission 
Regulation of  [..]amending Re gulation (EC) No 753/2002 laying down certain rules for 
applying Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/199 9 as regards the description, designation, 
presentation and protection of certain wine sector products.  (35 pages, in English) 
6. Description of content:  Commission Regulation (EC) No 753/2002 was notified under the 
TBT Agreement on 10 June 2002 (G/TBT/N/EEC/15).  
Following this notification, a number of thir d countries submitted comments and expressed 
concerns about the text.  In the light of th ese comments, two informal consultations were 
held in Geneva on 16 October 2002 and 16 July 2003 to explain the new rules and listen to 
third countries’ concerns.  
The draft Regulation modifying Regulati on (EC) No 753/2002 takes account of the 
comments submitted and the results of the discu ssions.  The modifications concern the use 
of traditional expressions and the regulatory requirements for the use of wine particulars.  
 As regards traditional expressions, third countri es will have the possibility to use traditional 
expressions, like “ruby”, “cru” and “fino”, provided that they fulfil equivalent conditions to 
those required from Member States.  It means, in concrete terms, that an expression has to 
be used by a third country producer for a peri od of minimum ten years, has gained a certain 
reputation and the use of the term is either conform with applicable rules or covered by 
rules laid down by representative producer or ganizations.  A third country would have to G/TBT/N/EEC/57 
Page 2  
 
submit, as do Member States, a dossier to the Commission, who would authorize the use of 
the traditional expression, if the conditions were fulfilled.  With regard to the wine particulars, given th at several third countries do not have the same 
level of centralized regulation as the Comm unity, some requirements are amended.  
 
The Community is notifying the modification of Regulation (EC) No 753/2002 under the TBT Agreement in order to inform third countries and to ensure full transparency. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
To take account of the comments submitted on notification G/TBT/N/EEC/15 and the 
results of the subsequent discussions.  
The Regulation aims at protecting the legitimate interests of the consumers and producers in 
the sense to ensure that quality wine sector products are truthfully labelled.  Due to a transitional period in the draft Regulation expiring on 15 March 2004, the 
Regulation has to be published on 24 February 2004 with an entry into force the third day 
following its day of publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. 
8. Relevant documents:   
- Commission Regulation (EC) No 753/2002 of 29 April 2002 laying down certain 
rules for applying Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 as regards the description, designation, presentation and pr otection of certain wine sector products 
(Official Journal L 118 , 04 /05/2002 P. 0001 – 0054) 
- Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common 
organization of the markets in wine (OJ L 179 14.7.1999, p. 1) 
9. Proposed date of adoption:  As soon as possible  
Proposed date of entry into force:  The third day following that of its publication in the 
Official Journal of the European Union which is due to be 24 February 2004. 
10. Final date for comments:   - 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [    ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:   
 
European Commission, EC-TBT Enquiry Point, Fax:  0032 2 299 80 43, 
E-mail:  ec-tbt@cec.eu.int