G/TBT/N/EU/593  
 
20 August 2018  
(18-5255) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member: EUROPEAN UNION   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible: European Commission  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
European Commission  
EU-TBT Enquiry Point  
Fax: +(32) 2 299 80 43  
E-mail: grow-eu-tbt@ec.europa.eu  
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools -databases/tbt/en/   
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 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): Wine 
products  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Proposal for a 
Regulation of th e European Parliament and of the Counc il amending Regulations 
(EU) No 1308/2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural 
products, (EU) No 1151/2012 on quality schemes for agricultural p roducts and foodstuffs, 
(EU) No  251/2014 on t he definition, description, presentation, labelling and the protection 
of geographical indications of aromatised wine products, (EU) No 228/2013 laying down 
specific measures for agriculture in the outermost r egions of the Union and 
(EU) No 229/2013 laying  down specific measures for agriculture in favour of the smaller 
Aegean islands (COM(2018) 394 final/2) (58 pages, in English, French and Spanish)   
6. Description of content: Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 provides for Union rules on the 
common organisation  of the markets in agricultural products. In the context of the future 
CAP proposals, the European Commission proposes, inter alia , to introduce definitions for 
'de-alcoholised' and 'partially de -alcoholised' grapevine products in Annex VII of the 
Regulati on. The purpose of this amendment is to allow producers to respond to the ever -
increasing consumer demand for innovative grapevine products with a lower actual 
alcoholic strength than the minimum actual alcoholic strength set out for grapevine 
products in Part II of Annex VII to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013. The definitions of these 
products which are added to the Annex take definitions set out in the Resolutions of the 
International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), OIV -ECO 433 -2012 (Beverage Obtained 
By Partial Dealcoholisation of Wine) and OIV -ECO 523 -2016 (Wine With An Alcohol Content 
Modified by Dealcoholisation) into account.  
Please note that only the following provisions of the notified measure would be relevant for 
the purpose of the TBT Agreement  (e.g.: provisions related to technical standards, 
definitions and labelling):  Article 1. (6), (7), (18), (19), (20), (32) and (33).  G/TBT/N/EU/593  
 
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  In addition, please note that even if intellectual property right issues (in particular 
elements related to geographical i ndications), are part of this notified measure, those will 
not be relevant for TBT purposes. The EU believes that any issues concerning intellectual 
property rights would be more appropriate for discussion under the relevant Committee 
responsible for IPR, which normally should be the TRIPS Council.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: The Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council sets the 
framework for the common organisation of the markets in  agricultural products, including 
their definition.  
8. Relevant documents:  Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of 
the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in 
agricultural products and repeal ing Council Regula tions (EEC) No 922/72, 
(EEC)  No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/2007 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, 
p. 671-854).  
https://eur -lex.europa.eu/legal -
content/EN/TXT/?qid=1529417518530&uri=CELEX:02013R1308 -20180101   
9. Proposed date of adoption:  2019 
Proposed date of entry into force:  Not yet specified, normally 3 days from publication 
in the Official Journal of the EU  
10. Final date for comments: 60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [  ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:   
European Commission,  
EU-TBT Enquiry Point,  
Fax: + (32) 2 299 80 43,  
E-mail: grow-eu-tbt@ec.europa.eu  
The text is available on the EU -TBT Website :  
http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools -databases/tbt/en/  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/TBT/EEC/18_4497_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/TBT/EEC/18_4497_00_f.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/TBT/EEC/18_4497_00_s.pdf