Information on the assessment of technical files of established geographical indications for spirit drinks

(2019/C 115/11)

This publication presents the results of the examination carried out by the European Commission on the technical files of established geographical indications (GI) for spirit drinks in accordance with Article 20(1) of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) and Article 9 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 716/2013 (2).

Pursuant to Article 20(1) of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008, Member States had to submit to the Commission a technical file for each GI registered in Annex III of this Regulation no later than 20 February 2015.

The Commission had received, within the deadline, technical files for 243 out of 330 established GIs. As a consequence, the Commission delisted 87 names (3) from Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 and assessed the technical files received.

Pursuant to Article 9(1) of Regulation (EU) No 716/2013, the technical file submitted had to demonstrate that the requirements laid down in Article 15(1) of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 were fulfilled. The abovementioned Article requires that a geographical indication shall be an indication which identifies a spirit drink as originating in a specific place, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of that spirit drink is essentially attributable to its geographical origin.

Commission’s examination did not include the verification of the compliance with other applicable rules, including requirements of the technical file on the mandatory bottling and/or dilution in the geographical area, since they are not related to the definition of GIs.

The Commission finalised the examination of the submitted 243 technical files of the established GIs with the following results:

1. Correction of names for 12 GIs and correction of the geographical area for one GI (4); and

2. Further removal of nine GIs for which, following the Commission observations addressed to Member States in accordance with Article 9(1) of Regulation (EU) No 716/2013, either the technical file was withdrawn by the Member State or the deficiencies pointed out were not remedied (5).

Based on the above, the established geographical indications for spirit drinks included in the Annex to this notice meet the conditions laid down in Article 15(1) of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008.

In order to provide a complete overview of currently protected GIs, the said Annex also includes, in addition to the established geographical indications, the following geographical indications registered pursuant to the procedure of Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008: ‘Somerset Cider Brandy’, ‘Pisco’, ‘Újfehértói meggypálinka’, ‘Ron de Guatemala’, ‘Гроздова ракия от Търговище’/‘Grozdova rakya ot Targovishte’, ‘Карнобатска гроздова ракия’/‘Гроздова ракия от Карнобат’/‘Karnobatska grozdova rakya’/‘Grozdova rakya ot Karnobat’ and ‘Tequila’.

(1) Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 January 2008 on the definition, description, presentation, labelling and the protection of geographical indications of spirit drinks (OJ L 39, 13.2.2008, p. 16).

(2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 716/2013 of 25 July 2013 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the definition, description, presentation, labelling and the protection of geographical indications of spirit drinks (OJ L 201, 26.7.2013, p. 21).

(3) Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/1067 of 1 July 2016 amending Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 (OJ L 178, 2.7.2016, p. 1).

(4) Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/1098 of 2 August 2018 amending and correcting Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 (OJ L 197, 3.8.2018, p. 7).

(5) Regulation not yet adopted. Following the vote in the committee for spirit drinks on 4.12.2018 the adoption procedure was launched. The GIs to be removed are indicated in the attached annex.