Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on:

- the 'Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EEC) No 823/87 laying down special provisions relating to quality wines produced in specified regions` and

- the 'Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EEC) No 2332/92 on sparkling wines produced in the Community` ()

(96/C 204/13)

On 8 February 1996, the Council, acting under Articles 43 and 198 of the EC Treaty, asked the Economic and Social Committee for an Opinion on the above-mentioned proposals.

The Section for Agriculture and Fisheries, which was instructed to prepare the Committee's Opinion on the matter, adopted its Opinion on 11 April 1996. The Rapporteur was Mr Kienle.

At its 335th Plenary Session held on 24 and 25 April 1996 (meeting of 24 April 1996), the Economic and Social Committee adopted the following Opinion by 98 votes to 1, with 11 abstentions.

I. PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) AMENDING REGULATION EEC No 823/87 LAYING DOWN SPECIAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO QUALITY WINES PRODUCED IN SPECIFIC REGIONS

1. Introduction

1.1. The EC Commission draws attention to the fact that new specific traditional terms have been defined in Germany namely 'Qualitaetsweine garantierten Ursprungs` (quality wines of guaranteed origin) and 'Qualitaetsschaumweine garantierten Ursprungs` (quality sparkling wines of guaranteed origin).

1.2. Under the law as it stands at present, the name of a specified production region used in a Member State for the designation of a quality wine produced in a specified region (quality wine psr) may not be used for the designation of other wine-sector products.

1.3. In particular cases, however, new designations of origin, formerly used in respect of specified table wines, are to be authorized.

1.4. With a view to enabling traditional users to adjust to the new provisions, the Commission proposes a transitional period of three wine years during which the traditional use of specific geographical names in respect of table wines will continue to be authorized even though these names are at the same time earmarked for the designation of quality wines psr.

2. General comments

2.1. The ESC deplores the fact that the reform of the organization of the European wine market has still not yet been completed. Instead of tackling this issue, the Commission is proposing detailed amendments to legal provisions governing quality wines psr and sparkling wines.

2.2. The ESC considers that the views expressed in its Opinion of 22/23 February 1995 () on the Commission's proposal for the reform of the common organization of the market in wine have been confirmed by market trends and the serious problems involved in controlling imports from non-EU states (in particular from South America and Eastern Europe). The Commission's proposals for reform made an inaccurate assessment of production and marketing trends and did not pay sufficient attention to the impact of the GATT agreements.

2.3. The ESC therefore calls upon the EC Commission not just to put forward amendments to provisions concerning matters of detail, but to submit as soon as possible a revised proposal for reforming the organization of the wine market which addresses the real conditions on the European and international markets.

2.4. As the EC Commission is proposing detailed amendments to the provisions governing the designation of still and sparkling wine, the ESC feels itself obliged to draw the Commission's attention to the fact that in its above-mentioned Opinion the Committee also called for a thorough revision of the law governing the designation of wine in order to meet present and future requirements as regards marketing and the interests of consumers. In its Opinion the ESC called in particular for a review of the rule that a wine label may not specify anything which is not explicitly allowed.

3. Specific comments

3.1. The ESC endorses the introduction of the new designations.

3.2. The ESC is fundamentally opposed to allowing table wines and quality wines psr to carry the same geographical designation because of the risk of misleading consumers. Concrete measures should therefore be taken to ensure that the dual use of designations is authorized for a maximum of three more wine years.

3.3. The ESC proposes that the Member States should no longer be empowered to authorize the dual use of designations. These designations should instead be included on an approved list drawn up by the EC Commission. The management committee will take decisions both as regards the inclusion of designations on the list and also in respect of the duration of the transitional arrangements.

II. PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) AMENDING REGULATION (EEC) No 2332/92 ON SPARKLING WINES PRODUCED IN THE COMMUNITY

1. Introduction

1.1. The EC Commission is proposing to extend the duration of the derogation under which quality sparkling wine psr may be blended with wine-sector products which do not originate in the specified region of production.

1.2. The proposal for a Regulation also stipulates that, for reasons relating to improved quality, the minimum duration of the fermentation process in respect of both quality sparkling wine and quality sparkling wine psr shall be set at a uniform period of 90 days.

2. Comments

2.1. With a view to ensuring that consumers are protected, the ESC expects, as a matter of principle, that a quality wine psr and a quality sparkling wine psr should contain only wine sector products originating in the specified region of production.

2.1.1. Concrete measures should be taken, bearing in mind traditional production practice, to phase out this derogation as the methods used hitherto risk misleading consumers.

2.1.2. The ESC therefore proposes that the Member States no longer be empowered to authorize this derogation. Instead, the designations in respect of which the derogation in question is requested, should be set out in an approved list drawn up by the EC Commission. The management committee will take decisions in respect of both the designations to be included on the list and the duration of the transitional arrangements.

2.2. The ESC welcomes the proposal to establish a standard minimum duration of the fermentation process.

Done at Brussels, 24 April 1996.

The President

of the Economic and Social Committee

Carlos FERRER

() OJ No C 74, 14. 3. 1996, pp. 12-16.

() OJ No C 110, 2. 5. 1995, p. 30.