COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 538/2011  
of 1 June 2011  
amending Regulation (EC) No 607/2009 laying down certain detailed rules for the implementation 
of Council Regulation (EC) No 479/2008 as regards protected designations of origin and 
geographical indications, traditional terms, labelling and presentation of certain wine sector 
products  
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,  
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European 
Union,  
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 of 
22 October 2007 on the common organisation of agricultural 
markets and on specific provisions for certain agricultural 
products (Single CMO Regulation) (  1 ), and in particular points 
(k), (l) and (m) of the first paragraph of Article 121 and 
Article 203b, in conjunction with Article 4 thereof,  
Whereas:  
(1) Article 18 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 
607/2009 (  2 ) lays down that the ‘Register of protected 
designations of origin and protected geographical indi ­
cations’ (hereinafter ‘the Register’) maintained by the 
Commission as provided for in Article 118n of Regu ­
lation (EC) No 1234/2007 is included in the electronic 
database ‘E-Bacchus’.  
(2) For the sake of simplification, the list of representative 
trade organisations and their members provided in 
Annex XI to Regulation (EC) No 607/2009 should be 
published on the Internet. Therefore, Article 30(2) 
should be amended accordingly.  
(3) In order to avoid any discrimination between wines ori ­
ginating in the Union and those imported from third 
countries, it should be clarified that terms traditionally 
used in third countries may obtain recognition and 
protection as traditional terms in the Union also where 
they are used in conjunction with geographical indi ­
cations or names of origin regulated by those third 
countries.  
(4) For the sake of clarity, protected traditional terms listed 
in Annex XII should be transferred to the electronic 
database ‘E-Bacchus’ thus gathering protected desig ­
nations of origin, protected geographical indications 
and protected traditional terms in a single IT tool, 
easily available for consultation purposes.  
(5) In order to provide up-to-date information relating to 
traditional terms, the information indicated in Annex XII to Regulation (EC) No 607/2009 should be trans ­
ferred to the electronic database ‘E-Bacchus’ and new 
information related to the protection of traditional 
terms should exclusively be included in that database.  
(6) In order to clarify the relationship between protected 
traditional terms and trademarks, it is necessary to 
specify on what legal basis an application for a 
trademark containing or consisting of a protected trad ­
itional term should be assessed in accordance with 
Directive 2008/95/EC of the European Parliament and 
of the Council of 22 October 2008 to approximate the 
laws of the Member States relating to trade marks (  3 ) or 
Council Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 of 26 February 
2009 on the Community trade mark (  4 ). 
(7) In order to improve the transparency of the rules 
concerning traditional terms, in particular due to the 
fact that they are moved to the electronic database ‘E- 
Bacchus’, any modification relating to traditional terms 
shall follow a formally defined procedure.  
(8) Rules should be provided for the indication of the 
alcoholic strength by volume of certain specific 
grapevine products in order to provide the public with 
accurate information.  
(9) In order to facilitate less burdensome labelling, certain 
information related to the name and the address of the 
bottler may in some circumstances not be required.  
(10) In order to improve controls of certain grapevine 
products, Member States should be allowed to regulate 
the use of particulars referring to producer and processor.  
(11) For the sake of clarity, Articles 42(1) and 56(3) should be 
amended.  
(12) The use of a specific type of bottle and closure for 
sparkling wines, quality sparkling wines and quality 
aromatic sparkling wines as provided for in Article 69 
of Regulation (EC) No 607/2009 should be obligatory 
exclusively for the marketing and the export of such 
wines produced in the European Union.EN L 147/6 Official Journal of the European Union 2.6.2011  
( 1 ) OJ L 299, 16.11.2007, p. 1.  
( 2 ) OJ L 193, 24.7.2009, p. 60.  ( 3 ) OJ L 299, 8.11.2008, p. 25.  
( 4 ) OJ L 78, 24.3.2009, p. 1.(13) As regards the transmission of technical files of existing 
protected wine names referred to in Article 118s of 
Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 the requirement to 
identify the applicant of an existing wine name as 
referred to in point (b) of Article 118c(1) of that Regu ­
lation may raise difficulty for some Member States since 
these existing protected wine names are regulated at a 
national level without any reference to a particular 
applicant. In order to facilitate the transition from the 
arrangements provided for in Council Regulation (EC) 
No 1493/1999 (  1 ) to those established by Regulation 
(EC) No 1234/2007, transitional measures should be 
provided to comply with national legislations of those 
Member States.  
(14) It is necessary to amend Annex VIII to Regulation (EC) 
No 607/2009 as regards the prior rights which may be 
claimed in case of an opposition against an application 
for protection of a traditional term.  
(15) Regulation (EC) No 607/2009 should therefore be 
amended accordingly.  
(16) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in 
accordance with the opinion of the Management 
Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural 
Markets,  
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:  
Article 1  
Amendment of Regulation (EC) No 607/2009  
Regulation (EC) No 607/2009 is amended as follows:  
(1) in Article 30, paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:  
‘2. In case of an application filed by a representative 
professional organisation established in a third country, 
the details of the representative professional organisation 
shall also be communicated. The Commission shall publish 
on the Internet the list of third countries concerned, the 
names of the representative professional organisations 
and the members of these representative professional 
organisations.’;  
(2) Article 32 is replaced by the following:  
‘Article 32  
Rules on traditional terms of third countries  
1. The definition of traditional terms provided for in 
Article 118u(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 shall 
apply  mutatis mutandis  to terms traditionally used in third countries for wine products covered by geographical 
indications or names of origin under the legislation of 
those third countries.  
2. Wines originating in third countries whose labels 
bear traditional indications other than the traditional 
terms listed in the electronic database “E-Bacchus” may 
use these traditional indications on wine labels in 
accordance with the rules applicable in the third 
countries concerned, including those emanating from 
representative professional organisations.’;  
(3) Article 40 is replaced by the following:  
‘Article 40  
General protection  
1. If an application for the protection of a traditional 
term satisfies the conditions laid down in Article 118u(1) 
of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 and in Articles 31 and 
35 of this Regulation and is not rejected under Articles 36, 
38 and 39 of this Regulation, the traditional term shall be 
included in the electronic database “E-Bacchus” with an 
indication of:  
(a) the language as referred to in Article 31;  
(b) an indication of the grapevine product category or 
categories concerned by the protection;  
(c) a reference to the national legislation of the Member 
State in which the traditional term is defined and 
regulated, or rules applicable to wine producers in 
third countries, including those emanating from 
representative professional organisations; and  
(d) a summary of the definition or conditions of use.  
2. The traditional terms listed in the electronic database 
“E-Bacchus”, are protected only in the language and for 
the categories of grape vine products claimed in the 
application, against:  
(a) any misuse even if the protected term is accompanied 
by an expression such as “style”, “type”, “method”, “as 
produced in”, “imitation”, “flavour”, “like” or similar;  
(b) any other false or misleading indication as to the 
nature, characteristics or essential qualities of the 
product, on the inner or outer packaging, advertising 
material or documents relating to it;  
(c) any other practice liable to mislead the consumer, in 
particular to give the impression that the wine qualifies 
for the protected traditional term.’;EN 2.6.2011 Official Journal of the European Union L 147/7  
( 1 ) OJ L 179, 14.7.1999, p. 1.(4) in Article 41, paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:  
‘1. Where a traditional term is protected under this 
Regulation, the registration of a trademark, the use of 
which would contravene Article 40(2), shall be assessed 
in accordance with Directive 2008/95/EC of the 
European Parliament and of the Council (*) or Council 
Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (**).  
Trademarks registered in breach of the first subparagraph 
shall be declared invalid upon request in accordance with 
the applicable procedures as specified by Directive 
2008/95/EC or Regulation (EC) No 207/2009.  
___________  
(*) OJ L 299, 8.11.2008, p. 25.  
(**) OJ L 78, 24.3.2009, p. 1.’;  
(5) in Article 42, paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:  
‘1. A term, for which an application is lodged and 
which is wholly or partially homonymous with that of a 
traditional term already protected under this Chapter shall 
be protected with due regard to local and traditional usage 
and the risk of confusion.  
A homonymous term which misleads consumers as to the 
nature, quality or the true origin of the products shall not 
be registered even if the term is accurate.  
The use of a protected homonymous term shall be subject 
to there being a sufficient distinction in practice between 
the homonym protected subsequently and the traditional 
term already listed in the electronic database “E-Bacchus”, 
having regard to the need to treat the producers concerned 
in an equitable manner and not to mislead the consumer.’;  
(6) a new Article 42a is inserted:  
‘Article 42a  
Modification  
An applicant as referred to in Article 29 may apply for an 
approval of a modification of a traditional term, the 
language indicated, the wine or wines concerned or of 
the summary of the definition or conditions of use of 
the traditional term concerned.  
Articles 33 to 39 apply  mutatis mutandis  to applications for 
modification.’;  (7) in Article 47, paragraph 5 is replaced by the following:  
‘5. When a cancellation takes effect, the Commission 
shall remove the name concerned from the list set out 
in the electronic database “E-Bacchus”.’;  
(8) in Article 54, a new paragraph 3 is added:  
‘3. In case of partially fermented grape must or new 
wine still in fermentation, the actual and/or total 
alcoholic strength by volume shall appear on the label. 
When the total alcoholic strength by volume appears on 
the label, the figures shall be followed by “% vol” and may 
be preceded by words “total alcoholic strength” or “total 
alcohol”.’;  
(9) Article 56 is amended as follows:  
(a) in the third subparagraph of paragraph 2, the 
following second sentence is added:  
‘These requirements do not apply where bottling is 
carried out in a place of immediate proximity to that 
of the bottler.’;  
(b) paragraph 3 is replaced by the following:  
‘3. The name and address of the producer or vendor 
shall be supplemented by the terms “ producer ” or 
“produced by ” and “ vendor ” or “ sold by ”, or equivalent.  
Member States may decide to:  
(a) make compulsory the indication of the producer;  
(b) allow the replacement of the terms “ producer ” or 
“produced by ” by “ processor ” respectively “ processed 
by”.’; 
(10) Article 69 is replaced by the following:  
‘Article 69  
Rules on presentation for certain products  
1. Sparkling wine, quality sparkling wine and quality 
aromatic sparkling wine produced in the European 
Union shall be marketed or exported in “sparkling 
wine”-type glass bottles closed with:  
(a) for bottles with a nominal volume more than 0,20 
litres: a mushroom-shaped stopper made of cork or 
other material permitted to come into contact with 
foodstuffs, held in place by a fastening, covered, if 
necessary, by a cap and sheathed in foil completely 
covering the stopper and all or part of the neck of 
the bottle;EN L 147/8 Official Journal of the European Union 2.6.2011(b) for bottles with a nominal volume content not 
exceeding 0,20 litres: any other suitable closure.  
Other products produced in the Union shall not be 
marketed or exported in either “sparkling wine”-type 
glass bottles or with a closure as described in point (a) 
of the first subparagraph.  
2. By way of derogation from the second subparagraph 
of paragraph 1, Member States may decide that the 
following products may be marketed or exported in 
“sparkling wine”-type glass bottles and/or with a closure 
as described in point (a) of the first subparagraph of 
paragraph 1:  
(a) products traditionally bottled in such bottles and 
which:  
(i) are listed in Article 113d(1)(a) of Regulation (EC) 
No 1234/2007;  
(ii) are listed in points 7, 8 and 9 of Annex XIb to 
Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007;  
(iii) are listed in Council Regulation (EEC) No 
1601/1991 (*); or  
(iv) have an actual alcoholic strength by volume no 
greater than 1,2 % vol;  
(b) products other than those referred to in point (a) 
provided that they do not mislead consumers with 
regard to the real nature of the product.  
___________  
(*) OJ L 149, 14.6.1991, p. 1.’;  
(11) in Article 71 a new paragraph 3 is added:  
‘3. By way of derogation from Article 2(2) of 
this Regulation, in respect of the transmission of 
the technical files as referred to in point (a) of Article 118s(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 the 
authorities of the Member States may be considered as 
applicants for the purpose of the application of point (b) 
of Article 118c(1) of that Regulation.’;  
(12) Annex II is replaced by Annex I to this Regulation;  
(13) Annex VIII is replaced by Annex II to this Regulation;  
(14) Annexes XI and XII are deleted.  
Article 2  
Transitional provisions  
1. Prior to the deletion of Annexes XI and XII to Regulation 
(EC) No 607/2009 by point (14) of Article 1 of this Regulation, 
the Commission shall replicate and:  
(a) publish on the Internet the content of Annex XI; and  
(b) enter in the electronic database ‘E-Bacchus’ the traditional 
terms listed in Annex XII.  
2. Any modification related to a traditional term which has 
been recognised by a Member State or a third country and 
notified to the Commission by the date of entry into force of 
this Regulation and which has not been included in Annex XII 
to Regulation (EC) No 607/2009, shall not be subject to the 
procedure referred to in Article 42a as introduced by point (6) 
of Article 1 of this Regulation. The Commission shall enter that 
modification in the electronic database ‘E-Bacchus’.  
Article 3  
Entry into force  
This Regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day 
following its publication in the  Official Journal of the European 
Union . 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.  
Done at Brussels, 1 June 2011.  
For the Commission  
The President  
José Manuel BARROSOEN 2.6.2011 Official Journal of the European Union L 147/9ANNEX I  
‘ANNEX II  
SINGLE DOCUMENT  
Date of receipt (DD/MM/YYYY) ................................................................................................ ................................................................ .......  
[to be completed by the Commission]  
Number of pages (including this page) ......................................................................................... ................................................................  
Language used for submission of application ................................................................................... ........... ...............................................  
File number  [to be completed by the Commission]  ................................................. ................................... ................................... ....... ............................ ...........  
Applicant  
Name of legal or natural person ............................................................................................... ......................................................................  
Full address  (street number and name, town/city and postal code, country ) ................................................. ..................... ................................... ...................  
Legal status  (in the case of legal persons ) ................................... ................................... ................................... .................... ............... ..................... .....................  
Nationality ................................................................................................ ................................................................ ...............................................  
Intermediary  
— Member State(s) (*) ................................................................................................ ........................................................................................  
— Third-country authority (*) .................................................................................. .......................................................................................  
[(*) delete as appropriate]  
Name(s) of intermediary(ies) ................................................................................................ ..............................................................................  
Full address(es)  (street number and name, town/city and postal code, country ) .......................................... ..................... ................................... ...................  
Name to be registered  
— Designation of origin (*) ................................................................ ................................................................................................ .............  
— Geographical indication (*) .................................................................................. .......................................................................................  
[(*) delete as appropriate]  
Description of the wine(s) (  1 ) ..................................................................................... .......................................................................................  
Indication of traditional terms, as referred to in Article 118u(1)  ( 2 ), which are linked to this designation of origin 
or geographical indication  ................................................................................................ ..............................................................................  
Specific oenological practices  ( 3 ) ................................................................................................ ..................................................................  
Demarcated area  ................................................................................................ ................................................................................................ . 
Maximum yield(s) per hectare ................................................................ ................................................................................................ ..........  
Authorised wine grape varieties  ................................................................................................ ................................................................ . 
Link with the geographical area  ( 4 ) ................................................................................................ ............................................................  
Further conditions  ( 3 ) ................................................................................................ ........................................................................................  
Reference to product specificationEN L 147/10 Official Journal of the European Union 2.6.2011  
( 1 ) Including a reference to the products covered by Article 118a(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007.  
( 2 ) Article 118u(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007.  
( 3 ) Optional.  
( 4 ) Describe the specific nature of the product and geographical area and the causal link between the two.’ANNEX II  
‘ANNEX VIII  
REQUEST OF OBJECTION TO A TRADITIONAL TERM  
Date of receipt (DD/MM/YYYY) ................................................................................................ ................................................................ .......  
[to be completed by the Commission]  
Number of pages (including this page) ......................................................................................... ................................................................  
Language of request of objection .............................................................................................. .................................................................. .... 
File number  [to be completed by the Commission]  ................................................. ................................... ................................... ....... ............................ ...........  
Objector  
Name of legal or natural person ............................................................................................... ......................................................................  
Full address  (street number and name, town/city and postal code, country)  .......................................... ................................... ................................... ...........  
Nationality ................................................................................................ ................................................................ ...............................................  
Tel., fax, e-mail ................................................................................................ ................................................................ ......................................  
Intermediary  
— Member State(s) (*) ................................................................................................ ........................................................................................  
— Third-country authority (optional) (*) ...................................................................................... .......... .....................................................  
[(*) delete as appropriate]  
Name(s) of intermediary(ies) ................................................................................................ ................................................................ .......  
Full address(es)  (street number and name, town/city and postal code, country)  ..................... ................................... ................................... .................  
Objected traditional term  ........................................................................................ .......................................................................................  
Prior rights  
— Protected designation of origin (*) ......................................................................................... ..................................................................  
— Protected geographical indication (*) ................................................................ .......................................................................................  
— National geographical indication (*)  
[(*) delete as appropriate]  
Name ................................................................ ................................................................................................ ..................................................  
Registration number ................................................................ ................................................................................................ ......................  
Date of registration (DD/MM/YYYY) ................................................................ .......................................................................................  
— Existing protected traditional term ......................................................................................... ..................................................................  
— Trademark  
Sign ..................................................................................... ................................................................................................ ...............................  
List of products and services ................................................................................................ .....................................................................EN 2.6.2011 Official Journal of the European Union L 147/11Registration number ................................................................ ................................................................................................ ......................  
Date of registration ................................................................................................ .......................................................................................  
Country of origin ................................................................................................ ...........................................................................................  
Reputation/renown (*) ........................................................................................... .......................................................................................  
[(*) delete as appropriate]  
Grounds for objection  
— Article 31 (*)  
— Article 35 (*)  
— Article 40(2)(a) (*)  
— Article 40(2)(b) (*)  
— Article 40(2)(c) (*)  
— Article 41(3) (*)  
— Article 42(1) (*)  
— Article 42(2) (*)  
— Article 54 of Regulation (EC) No 479/2008  
[(*) delete as appropriate]  
Explanation of ground(s)  ................................................................ ................................................................................................ ................  
Name of signatory ................................................................................................ ................................................................ ................................  
Signature ................................................................ ................................................................................................ ................................................. ’EN L 147/12 Official Journal of the European Union 2.6.2011