COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2021/724

of 3 March 2021

laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the communications to be made by Member States to the Commission with regard to the bodies appointed to supervise ageing processes for spirit drinks and the competent authorities responsible for ensuring compliance with that Regulation

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2019/787 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the definition, description, presentation and labelling of spirit drinks, the use of the names of spirit drinks in the presentation and labelling of other foodstuffs, the protection of geographical indications for spirit drinks, the use of ethyl alcohol and distillates of agricultural origin in alcoholic beverages, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 (1), and in particular point (a) of the first subparagraph of Article 20 and Article 44(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Article 13(6) of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 requires that the operations to age spirit drinks take place under revenue supervision of a Member State or supervision providing equivalent guarantees.

(2) For this purpose, Member States are to appoint the bodies responsible for supervising such ageing processes and inform the Commission thereof so that it may set up a public register listing those appointed bodies.

(3) Article 43(1) of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 provides that Member States are responsible for checks on spirit drinks. They are to take the measures necessary to ensure compliance with that Regulation and designate the competent authorities responsible for ensuring compliance with that Regulation.

(4) In view of ensuring efficient communications between the Commission and the bodies responsible for supervising ageing processes and the competent authorities responsible for ensuring compliance with Regulation (EU) 2019/787, it is appropriate to require that Member States notify the contact details of their respective bodies responsible for supervising ageing processes and competent authorities responsible for ensuring compliance with that Regulation to the Commission.

(5) In order to ensure that communications by Member States to the Commission are made in a simple and efficient manner, it is appropriate to require that, where a Member State appoints more than one body supervising the ageing processes for spirit drinks or more than one competent authority responsible for ensuring compliance with Regulation (EU) 2019/787, that Member State designates a liaison body as single contact point for the Commission. Member States should therefore also notify the contact details of their liaison bodies to the Commission.

(6) In order to ensure efficient communication of information between Member States and the Commission, rules should also be laid down concerning the form and deadlines for such communications.

(7) This Regulation should apply from 25 May 2021, in accordance with Article 51(3) of Regulation (EU) 2019/787.

(8) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for Spirit Drinks,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1 Information to be notified to the Commission 1. Member States shall notify the Commission of the following information concerning the bodies appointed to supervise the ageing processes for spirit drinks in accordance with Article 13(6) of Regulation (EU) 2019/787: (a) name, address, telephone number, email address of the body appointed to supervise the ageing processes for spirit drinks; (b) where several bodies are appointed to supervise the ageing processes for spirit drinks, the specific responsibility of each of them; (c) name, address, telephone number, email address of the liaison body designated in accordance with the first paragraph of Article 2. 2. Member States shall notify the Commission of the following information concerning the competent authorities responsible for ensuring the compliance with Regulation (EU) 2019/787 in accordance with Article 43(1) of that Regulation: (a) name, address, telephone number, email address of the competent authority; (b) where several competent authorities are designated, the specific responsibility of each of them; (c) name, address, telephone number, email address of the liaison body designated in accordance with the second paragraph of Article 2.

Article 2 Designation of liaison bodies Where a Member State appoints more than one body to supervise the ageing processes for spirit drinks, it shall designate a liaison body for such bodies supervising ageing processes. Where a Member State appoints more than one competent authority responsible for ensuring compliance with Regulation (EU) 2019/787, it shall designate a liaison body for such competent authorities. Both liaison bodies shall be responsible for communicating information to the Commission.

Article 3 Deadline and modalities for notifications of the bodies appointed for the supervision of ageing processes for spirit drinks and of the competent authorities responsible for ensuring compliance with Regulation (EU) 2019/787 1. Member States shall notify the Commission of the information set out in Article 1 by 25 August 2021. 2. Member States shall notify the Commission of any changes of the notified information referred to in paragraph 1 within 3 months from the date on which the change occurred. 3. The notifications shall be made using the forms set out in Annex I for information concerning the bodies appointed to supervise the ageing processes for spirit drinks and in Annex II for information concerning the competent authorities responsible for ensuring compliance with Regulation (EU) 2019/787.

Article 4 Entry into force and application This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. It shall apply from 25 May 2021.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 3 March 2021. For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

(1) OJ L 130, 17.5.2019, p. 1.