27. 11. 78 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283/45 
the original application date, the Committee neverthe­
less endorses the postponement. 3. It notes that 1 January 1979 is considered as the 
final date for application of the Directive. 
Done at Brussels, 20 June 1978. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Basil de FERRANTI 
Opinion on the proposals for: 
— a Council Regulation establishing a European joint-trade table wine organization 
— a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 816/70 laying down additional 
provisions for the common organization of the market in wine 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in the Official Journal of the 
European Communities No C 71 of 22 March 1978, pages 2 to 8. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 22 February 1978 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic 
and Social Committee in accordance with Articles 47 and 198 of the Treaty establishing 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 160th 
plenary session held in Brussels on 20 and 21 June 1978. 
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 Articles 47 and 
198 thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council of 
the European Communities on 24 February 1978 for 
an opinion, 
Having regard to the decision of its chairman of 27 
February 1978 instructing the Section for Agriculture to 
prepare the Committee's work on the matter, Having regard to the Economic and Social Committee's 
previous work in this field, 
Having regard to the oral report made by the 
rapporteur, Mr Guillaume, 
Having regard to the opinion adopted by the Section for 
Agriculture on 19 June 1978 using the written pro­
cedure, 
Having regard to the discussions at its 160th plenary 
session held on 20 and 21 June 1978 (meeting of 20 
June 1978), 
No C 283/46 Official Journal of the European Communities 27. 11. 78 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
unanimously: 
Article 6 (1) 
The Committee would point out that as things stand at 
present the Commission Regulations in practice limit 
intervention measures to type R 1 and R 2 wines with 
an alcoholic strength of at least 10°, although the pre­
sent definition of table wines fixes their minimum 
strength at 9°. 
The proposed amendment to Article 4a (2) of Regu­
lation (EEC) No 816/70 would make this measure final 
and irreversible. 
The Committee considers that removing all possibility of 
intervention to help table wines of less than 10° al­
coholic strength would endanger market equilibrium. 
In view of this, and of the fact that Article 6 (5) raises 
the minimum alcoholic strength of table wines from 9° 
to 9-5°, the Committee therefore requests that Article 4a 
(2) be retained (this allows intervention to help table 
wines with an alcoholic strength of 9-5° or more). 
Article 6 (2) 
No comment. 
Article 6 (3) 
Since the production of grape musts or concentrated 
musts does not require fermentation to take place, and 
so the production of alcohol from lees or marc would 
require a special fermentation of these by-products, the 
Committee considers that those who prepare grape 
musts and concentrated musts should be allowed to 
withdraw the by-products under supervision. 
Done at Brussels, 20 June 1978. The following would thus be added to the first indent of 
Article 6 (3) after the words 'fresh grapes': 
'shall be required to distil the lees and marc thereof 
or withdraw them under supervision'. 
Article 6 (4) 
The Committee would emphasize that it is not in favour 
of encouraging the abusive use of sulphur dioxide as a 
stabilizing agent in wine. 
However, bearing in mind that (i) the wines that will be 
able to contain the maximum amount of 400 milligrams 
per litre are high quality products that are generally 
consumed in limited quantities, and (ii) the few wines 
from non-member countries that will be able to contain 
the maximum amount have characteristics similar to 
those of certain Community wines, the Committee 
agrees to the wording of this paragraph. 
However, should it become clear that the present figure 
is too high, the Committee would be in favour of its 
being progressively reduced in the future. 
Article 6 (5) 
It is doubtful whether raising the minimum alcohol 
content of table wines in zones other than A and B is 
essential to improving quality. 
However, in so far as consumers ask for ordinary table 
wines with a higher alcohol content and setting too low 
a figure for minimum alcohol content encourages the 
growing of high-yielding vine varieties, which has led to 
big surpluses in the past, the Committee is in favour of 
the minimum alcohol content being raised by half a 
degree. 
But the Committee would like it made clear that the 
figure of 9-5° applies to total alcoholic strength (i.e. 
actual and potential), of which a minimum of 9° must be 
actual alcoholic strength. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Basil de FERRANTI