28.11.74 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoL318/3
REGULATION (EEC)No2981/74OFTHECOUNCIL
of26November 1974
layingdowngeneralrulesgoverningthedistillationofwineofqualitylower
thantablewineandoriginatingincertainareasaffectedbyadverseweather
conditions
THECOUNCILOFTHEEUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES ,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishingtheEuropean
EconomicCommunity ;
HavingregardtoCouncilRegulation (EEC)No
816/70(^of28April1970layingdownadditional
provisionsforthecommonorganizationofthemarket
inwine,aslastamendedbyRegulation (EEC)No
1532/74(2),andinparticularArticle38thereof;
HavingregardtotheproposalfromtheCommission ;
WhereasArticle38ofRegulation (EEC)No816/70
providesthatmeasuresofderogationmaybedecided
upontoremedyanexceptionalsituationresulting
fromnaturaldisasters;
WhereasincertainareasoftheCommunity ,inparti­
cularduringAugustandSeptember,theweatherwas
characterized byanalmosttotalabsenceofsunand
abnormallyhighrainfall;whereas,accordingtoinfor­
mationreceived,itrainedalmosteveryday;
Whereasgoodweatherduringthosemonthsisessen­
tialforagoodharvest;whereas,theabnormalclimatic
conditionsreferredtoaccordinglyconstituteanatural
disaster;whereastheresultwasthat,exceptionally ,
thewineobtainedintheseareasdidnotachievethe
minimumnaturalalcoholicstrengthprescribedfor
thewinegrowingzoneinwhichthegrapeswereharv­
ested;
Whereasitisdesirabletowithdrawtheseproducts
fromthemarketbythemostappropriatemethod,
whichisdistillation ;
Whereasthedetailsshouldbebasedonthegeneral
rulesrelatingtodistillationalreadyadoptedinapplica­
tionofArticle7ofRegulation (EEC)No816/70,Article18(1)ofRegulation(EEC)No816/70andorig­
inatingincertainyettobedefinedpartsofthe
followingFrenchdepartments :
—Gers,
—Haute-Garonne ,
—Tarn-et-Garonne ,
—Tarn,
—Landes,
—Aude,
affectedbynaturaldisastersduringthe1974/75wine­
growingyear.
Article2
Wineofferedfordistillationmaynothaveanalco­
holicstrengthexceedingtheminimumnaturalalco­
holicstrengthlaiddownforthewine-growingzonein
questionandmaynotbefortified.
Article3
1.Producerswhowishtohaveallorpartoftheir
winedistilledshallconcludedeliverycontracts,where
appropriatethroughtheinterventionagency,withthe
distillersoftheirchoice.
2.Undersuchcontracts :
(a)thedistillershallpurchasethequantityofwine
statedinthecontract;
(b)thedistillershalldistilsuchwineandshallpayfor
itapricenotlessthanthatreferredtoinArticle4.
3.Thecontractsshallspecify:
(a)thequantity,colourandactualalcoholicstrength
ofthewinetobedistilled;
(b)thenameandaddressoftheproducer;
(c)theplaceatwhichthewineisstored;
(d)thenameofthedistillerortheregisteredbusiness
orcompanynameofthedistillery;
(e)theaddressofthedistillery.
Article4
1.Theminimumpurchasepriceforwineoffered
fordistillationisherebyfixedat1-32unitsofaccount
perdegreeandhectolitre.HASADOPTED THISREGULATION :
Article1
Distillationshallbeauthorizedundertheconditions
laiddowninthisRegulationinrespectofwinenot
reachingtheminimumnaturalalcoholicstrengthfor
thewine-growing zoneconcernedaslaiddownin
(>)OJNoL99,5.5.1970,p.1.
(2)OJNoL166,21.6.1974,p.1.

NoL318/4 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 28.11.74
2.Thepricereferredtoshallapplyinrespectofthe
unalteredproduct,ex-producer'spremises.
Article5
1.ThedeliverycontractsreferredtoinArticle3
maynotbeconcludedbefore1December1974or
after15December1974.
2.Distillationmaynottakeplacebefore1
December1974orafter31January1975.
Article6
Productsofthedistillationofwinemayhaveanalco­
holicstrength:
—of86°ormore,
—of85°orless,
withatoleranceof0-4°aboveorbelow.
Article7
1.Aidshallbepaidbytheinterventionagencyfor
eachhectolitreofwinedistilled.
2.Theamountoftheaidisherebyfixedat:
—0-53unitofaccountperdegreeandhectolitreif
thewinewasprocessedintoaproductreferredto
inArticle6,firstindent,
—0-45unitofaccountperdegreeandhectolitreif
thewinewasprocessedintoaproductreferredto
inArticle6,secondindent.3.Theaidmaybepaidonlyuponproductionofa
contractasreferredtoinArticle3anduponproof
beinggiventhat:
—suchcontractwasconcludedduringtheperiod
referredtoinArticle5(1),
—distillationtookplaceduringtheperiodreferred
toinArticle5(2).
Article8
1.MemberStatesshalldesignateanintervention
agencytoapplytheprovisionsofthisRegulation .
2.Thecompetentinterventionagencyshallbethe
agencyoftheStateonwhoseterritorydistillation
takesplace.
Article9
DetailedrulesfortheapplicationofthisRegulation
andinparticularthedefinitionofthepartsofdepart­
mentsreferredtoinArticle1shrillbeadoptedin
accordancewiththeprocedurelaiddowninArticle7
ofRegulationNo24(J).
Article10
ThisRegulationshallenterintoforceonthedayofits
publicationintheOfficialJournaloftheEuropean
Communities .
ThisRegulationshallbebindinginitsentiretyanddirectlyapplicableinallMember
States.
DoneatBrussels,26November1974.
FortheCouncil
ThePresident
J.LECANUET
(')OJNo30,20.4.1962,p.989/62.