29.2.84 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 57/13 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 75/106/EEC on the 
approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making-up by volume of 
certain prepackaged liquids 
(84/C 57/08) 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the 
European Communities No C 291 of 27 October 1983, page 11. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 27 October 1983 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the 
Economic and Social Committee in accordance with Article 100 of the Treaty esta­
blishing the European Economic Community. 
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 
214th plenary session held in Brussels on 25 and 26 January 1984. 
The full text of the opinion is as follows: 
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the 
European Economic Community, and in particular 
Article 100 thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council of 
the European Communities on 27 October 1983 for 
an opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive 
amending Directive 75/106/EEC on the approxima­
tion of the laws of the Member States relating to the 
making-up by volume of certain prepackaged 
liquids, 
Having regard to the decision taken by the Commit­
tee Bureau on 25 October 1983 instructing the Sec­
tion for Industry, Commerce, Crafts and Services to 
draw up an opinion and a report on the matter, 
Having regard to the opinion adopted by the Section 
for Industry, Commerce, Crafts and Services at its 
meeting on 4 January 1984, 
Having regard to the report submitted by the rap­
porteur, Mr Flum, 
Having regard to the discussions on 25 January 1984 
during the 214th plenary session held on 25 and 
26 January 1984, 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
with no dissenting votes but with one abstention: General comments 
1. The Committee is pleased that, with its proposal 
for a Directive, the Commission is making good its 
intention (declared already in Directive 79/1005/ 
EEC) to provide for total harmonization of the 
nominal volumes for products of the wine sector as 
from 1 January 1984. The Committee refers in this 
connection to its opinions of 1972 and 1978, in 
which it expressly called for total harmonization in 
this area as soon as possible. 
It notes that the deadline of 1 January 1984 must be 
formally respected, but that in practice the deadline 
will not be adhered to and the Directive will not 
enter into force until later, since the process of con­
sulting the ESC and the European Parliament has 
not yet been completed. 
2. The Committee notes that the draft Directive 
does not cover the shape or materials of the packag­
ing or environmental protection aspects. These 
matters are to be regulated separately. 
The Committee proposes that Article 5 (4) of Direc­
tive 79/1005/EEC be maintained until it is replaced 
by a corresponding provision in another Directive. 
3. The sale of wine in four-litre bottles is not to be 
permitted after 1 January 1984. 
Australia has, however, asked the Community to 
grant an exemption so that Australian wine can 
No C 57/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 29. 2. 84 
continue to be sold in four-litre bottles during the 
period 1 January 1984 until 31 December 1985. 
This wine has been supplied to only two Member 
States (UK and Denmark), the annual volume being 
about 450 hi (by way of comparison, Germany im­
ports about 500 000 hi of wine annually from France 
alone). 
The Committee has dealt very extensively with the 
situation on the European wine market and ex­
pressed concern about the further trend. It consi­
dered that, if this exemption is granted, it must be 
Done at Brussels, 25 January 1984. ensured that any extension of its two-year period of 
validity is completely ruled out. 
This exemption, which, given the volume involved, 
will not have any detrimental effects on the Euro­
pean wine market, should be used also to strengthen 
the Community's economic relations with Australia. 
The Committee notes that the Commission is check­
ing to what extent the nominal volumes for the 
making-up of certain liquids listed in Annex III 
need to be added to or adjusted. The Commission is 
to inform the ESC of the outcome of this investiga­
tion in due course. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Franpois CEYRAC