G/TBT/N/GBR/25  
 
17 June 2015  
(15-3148)  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: UNITED KINGDOM 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):  
2. Agency responsible: HM Revenue and Customs 
Name and address (including telephon e 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 : 
HM Revenue and Customs 
Alcohol Policy Team 
Indirect Tax Directorate 3W Ralli Quays 3 Stanley Street 
Salford M60 9LA 
United Kingdom 
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10 .1 [ ], 5.6.2 [X], 5.7.1 [ ], other: 
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applic able, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Scotch whisky – 
220830; Single malt whisky – 220830 30 00; Bl ended malt whisky, in  containers holding 
2 litres or less – 220830 41 00; Blended malt wh isky, in containers holding more than 
2 litres – 220830 49 00; Single grain whisky and blended grain whisky, in containers holding 
2 litres or less – 220830 61 00; Single grain whisky and blended grain whisky and blended grain whisky, in containers holding more than 2 litres – 220830 69 00. Whiskies (HS: 220830) 
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document: The Spirit Drinks 
(Cost of Verification) Regulations 2013 http://www.legislation.go v.uk/uksi/2013/2949/pdfs/u
ksi_20132949_en.pdf  (8 pages, in English) 
6. Description of content: The Spirit Drinks (Cost of Verification) Regulations 2013 
implement Article 22 of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 of the European Parliament and of 
the Council on the definition, description, pr esentation, labelling and the protection of 
geographical indications of spirit drinks.  
Regulation 110/2008 makes provision for Member States to introduce measures ensuring 
that spirit drinks marketed with a protecte d geographical indication are produced in 
accordance with the specific conditions laid down in a technical file for the product  
In the UK, this affects Scotch Whisky, Irish Whiskey produced in Northern Ireland, Irish 
Cream produced in Northern Ireland and Somerset Cider Brandy, all of which are 
registered at Annex III to the Regulation. 
Article 22 of Regulation 110/2008 requires that a relevant spirit drink is verified by a 
competent authority as being compliant with its technical file before it can be placed on the 
market. The Article requires that the costs of verification for each relevant spirit drink are borne by the producers who are subject to th e controls specified in the technical file. G/TBT/N/GBR/25 
 
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  The Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs ("the Commissioners") are 
designated as the authority responsible for the verification of UK spirit drinks registered at Annex III to the Regulation and their task is to design and administer verification schemes 
for each relevant spirit drink to test for compliance with its technical file. The 
Commissioners must impose charges for the verification, details of which will be published in each verification scheme. 
The Spirit Drinks (Cost of Verification) Regulations 2013 provide for the publication of 
verification schemes for UK produced spirit drinks with a Geographical Indication. They also provide for charges for obtaining verification to be imposed on producers. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: The Spirit Drinks (Cost of Verification) Regulations 2013 provide the legal basis 
for the UK's spirit drinks verification schemes.  
At present, the only scheme in operation is for Scotch whisky (this was introduced in January 
2014). Schemes for other UK GI spirit drinks will be introduced in due course. 
Quality requirements 
8. Relevant documents: The Scotch whisky verification scheme applies to producers in 
Scotland and blenders, bottlers and labellers and bulk importers of Scotch whisky outside 
Scotland. 
Details of the Scotch whisky verification scheme can be found at the attached link on the 
GOV.UK web site: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa ds/system/upload s/attachment_da
ta/file/380284/techincal-guidance.pdf  
9. Proposed date of adoption: The Spirit Drinks (Cost of Veri fication) Regulations 2013 were 
made on 14 December 2013. Text is being notified in arrears for transparency purposes. 
Proposed date of entry into force: The Scotch whisky verification scheme was introduced 
on 10 January 2014. Text is being notified in arrears for transparency purposes.  
10. Final date for comments: In case of queries or comments, please see contact details 
above. 
11. Texts available from: Nati onal enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:  
UK TBT Enquiry Point 
Trade Policy Unit 
Department for Business Innovation and Skills 
1 Victoria Street London SW1H 0ET 
phil.walker@bis.gsi.gov.uk  
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uks i/2013/2949/pdfs/uksi_20132949_en.pdf  
https://www.gov.uk/government/ uploads/system/upl oads/attachment_da ta/file/380284/tec
hincal-guidance.pdf