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DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(79)740
Vol.1979/0248

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(79)740 final
Brussels-14December 1979
AvvZJ,\'-A
°>.y \
1?^ "7
S#fK^uStcréLrht/
Cé«éfa/.;V
,
Proposalfora
COUNCILDIRECTIVE
amendingforthesecondtimeDirective 75/726/EEContheapproxi
mationofthelawsoftheMemberStatesconcerningfruitjuices
andcertainsimilarproducts
(submittedtotheCouncilbytheCommission )
C0MC79)740final

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
Theaim ofthis proposal foraDirective isto:
–resolve once and .for alltheproblem oftheacidification
ofcertain fruit juices aridnectars ,
–"bring thelabelling provisions forfruit juices and .similar
products into conformity with thelabelling rules for
foodstuffs ingeneral , -*
–correct certain errors noted during implementation ofthe
amended Directive .
1»Acidification
1.1Council Directive 75/726/EEC of17November 1975 on "theapproximation
ofthelaws oftheMember States concerning fruit juices andcertain
similar products"' ",amended byCouncil Directive 79/168/eECof
25February 1979 »permits thecorrection ofthenatural acidity of_
certain fruit juices andnectars asfollows (cf.Article 4(2)(c ),
Article 7(2)(d ),Article l6(l)(c ),(g),and(h))s
–pineapple .juice :3gofcitric acid perlitre ofjuice ;Member
States mayalso continue toauthorize theuse
ofLand DLMalic acids
–pulpy pear andpeach nectars andmixtures ofthetwo :5gof
» citric acid perlitre ofnectar ,which maybe
,replaced totally orpartially byanequivalent'
quantity oflemon juice ;Member States mayalso
continue toauthorize the use ofLand DLMalic
acids .
X0JNoL311',1.12.1975 ,P.40
2ÓJNoL37,13.2.1979 ,p.27

–grape.juice:MemberStatesmaycontinuetoauthorizetheuseof
citricacid,themaximumquantitypermitted "being
3g.perlitreofj-uice,
–apple.juice:MemberStatesmayauthorizetheuseofcitricacid,
themaximumquantitypermitted "being3gperlitre
ofjuice.
–pearandpeachnectars(pulpyornon-pulpy)andmixturesofthotwo
MemberStatesmayauthorizetheuseoflacticacid,
themaximum:dosepermitted "being5gperlitreof
nectar.
ThenationalderogationsaresubjecttoareviewclauseinArticle
.16(2)ofDirective75/726/EEC.
1.2On19July1978*"theCommissionsubmittedtotheCouncilaproposal
foraDirective^designed–interalia–toextendthepossible
useofcitricacidtopulpysweetcherryandapplenectars.
Promexamination ofthisproposalwithintheCouncil,itemerged,
however,thatsuchameasurewastoolimitedtoresolveallthe
problemsconnectedwiththeinadequatenaturalacidcontentof
certainjuicesandnectarsproducediriorimportedintothe
Community.TheCommissionaccordingly undertooktore-examinethese
problemsasawholeandtopresentanewproposalwhichwouldenable
themtoberesolved.inanappropriatefashion^.Pendingthe
drawingupofthisnewproposalanditsadoptionbytheCouncil,
thelatterdecided,throughDirective79/l68/EEC,"toallowMember
Statestoauthorizetheacidification ofapplejuicewithcitric
aoid,themaximumquantitypermittedbeing3gA«
DocumentC0M(78)322final
4™.~-.,,,TheCommissionhadplannedtopresentthisproposalbefore1April1979*
Itbecameapparent,however,particularly whentheMemberStateswere
consultedpriortothedraftingofthisproposal,thatitwasnecessary
toincludeinitprovisionsdesignedtobra^ngthelabellingrulesfor
fruitjuicesandsimilarproductsintoconformitywiththosecontainedinDirective79/H2/EECrelatingtothelabellingoffoodstuffsingeneral,
evenifthisextensionweretoleadtosomedelayintheforwardingof
thisproposal.

1.3Havinggiventhisundertaking,-theCommissionproceededtoexamine
thesaidmatterindetailandreachedtheconclusionthatthemost
equitablesolutionwouldba>toabandontheuseofacidsproper
("foodacids")inthepreparation ,offruitjuicesandnectars#
Thisconclusionis"basedonthefollowingconsiderations :
–Itisnecessarytodrawaverycleardistinction "betweenfruit
-juicesandnectarsontheonehandandfurtherprocessedproducts,
notablysoft-drinks,ontheother.
.Poodacidsarewidelyusedinthesoft-drinkssector,wherethey
meetwithnofundamentalobjections.Wherefruitjuicesand
nectarsareconcerned,however,suchapracticeisscarcely
compatiblewiththeverynatureoftheseproducts,themain
characteristic ofwhichistobederivedfromthefruitsused# ,„
–If,asaresultofexceptionalcircumstances ,thecorrectionof
thenaturalacidityofafruitjuiceornectarprovesunavoidable,
itispossibletoresorttotheuseoflemonjuice,concentrated
ifnecessary#
–Theuseoflemonjuiceinplaceofafoodacidhasonlyanegligible
influenceontheproductioncostsoftheproductsthusobtained#
Thereisnoprospectofanylemonjuicesupplydifficulties#
–Thevarioussectorsofthetradeconsultedinthisconnection
areverylargelyinfavourofsuchameasure#
»
1#4Theaimofthisproposalis,therefore,toprohibitbyafixeddate
inthefuturetheacidification offruitjuicesandnectarswith
foodacidsandtosubstitutelemonjuice,concentratedifnecessary#
Theuseofthelatterisnotconsideredasamixture,ofseveral
fruitsorfruitjuiceswhencertainquantitativelimitsareadhered
to#Promthepracticalviewpoint,adherencetotheselimitsmeans
-thattheuseoflemonjuice(orconcentratedlemonjuice)neednot

appearinthenameunderwhichthefinished ,productissold,out
hasmerelyto"bementionedinthelistofingredients.
1.5Inthefruitjuicecategory,theCommissionproposesthatacidifica­
tionwithlemonjuice"bepermittedforpineapples,apples,oranges
andgrapefruitandalsomixturesofthesefruits.TheCommission
hasindeedbeeninformedthatthesefourkindsoffruitsarethe
oneswhichmostoftenhaveaninadequatenaturalacidcontent.It
isestimatedthatthequantityoflemonjuicenecessarytoobtain
properacidityis2$byvolume.Anequivalentquantityof
concentrated lemonjuicecanbesubstituted.
Asregardsfruitnectars,theCommissionfeelsthatacidification
isjustifiableforallfruitsthejuiceofwhichisedibleinits
naturalstate(cf.secondparagraphoftheannextoDirective
75/726/eEC),giventhattheconceptofnaturalacidityhasno
absolutevalueinthiscase.Thequantityoflemonjuicehasbeen
fixedat3fobyvolume.Anequivalentquantityofconcentrated
lemonjuicemaybesubstituted.
2.Labelling
PursuanttothefirstparagraphofArticle20ofCouncilDirective
79/112/eECof18December1978ontheapproximation ofthelawsof
theMemberStatesrelatingtothelabelling,presentation andadvertis~
5ingoffoodstuffsforsaletotheultimateconsumer,thelabelling
rulesforfruitjuicesandsimilarproductshavebeenmaintainedfor
thetimebeing.TheCommissiion nowproposesthattheybebroughtinto
conformitywithDirective79/H2/eeC.Thisisthepurposeofthe
newArticle11.Implementation ofthenewlabellingprovisionsmust
besynchronisedwiththatofDirective79/H2/eEC.
Asregardsproductsnotforsaletotheultimateconsumerbutsubject
.tothesetofrulesintroducedbyDirective75/726/EEC(cf.Article2(2)),
theCommissionproposesthatforthetimebeingMemberStatesshould
befreetolaydownlabellingrulesapplicablethereto.Thissituation
willbereviewedwhentheCouncilhasadoptedasupplementary Directive
relatingtothelabellingofproductsnotyettobedeliveredassuch
totheultimateconsumer.
30JNoL33,8.2.1979»P.1

Othermatters
3.1ThesecondindentofArticle4(l)(b)ofDirective75/726/EEC
authorisestheueeof"silicaeterogol".Thistermisincorrect
andshould "bereplaced "bytheexpression"silicondioxideasagel
orcolloidalsolution",inaccordancewiththeterminologyusedin
Article4ofCouncilRegulation(EEC)NoI678/77of19July1977^
relatingtooenologicalpractices,
3.2ThefirstsubparagraphofArticle6ofDirective75/726/EEC
stipulatesthat,exceptionsapart,thesulphurdioxidecontentofa
"fruitjuice",asdetermined "byanalysis,shallnotexceed10mg/l.
Itwouldappearthattheterm"fruitjuice"isnotappropriate here
"butthatthelimitinquestionisapplicabletoalltheproducts
definedinArticle1(5)–(8)•Thislimitcorrespondstothe
""blankvalue",i.e.thatitisequivalenttoabsenceofsulphur
dioxide.
ThisproposalisbasedonArticle43and100oftheTreatyasit
relatestobothagricultural andnon-agricultural products.
Consultation oftheEuropeanParliamentisrequiredbyrecourseto
Article43.Inaddition,thesecondsubparagraph ofArticle100
requirestheEuropeanParliamentandtheEconomicandSocialCommittee
tobeconsultedsinceimplementation oftheDirectivenowproposedwill
involvetheamendmentofthelegislativeprovisionsobtainingin
certainMemberStates. ,

Proposal foraCouncil Directive amending forthe
second time Directive 75/726/EEContheapproximation
ofthelaws oftheMember States concerning fruit
juices andcertain similar products
THECOUNCIL OPTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
Having regard totheTreaty establishing theEuropean Economic Community ,
andinparticular Articles 43and100thereof ;
Having regard totheproposal from theCommission }
Having regard totheopinion oftheEuropean Parliament ;
Having regard totheopinion oftheEconomic andSocial Committee ;
1..... .. 2Whereas Council Directive 75/726/EEC ,asamended byDirective 79/168/EEC
authorizes the use,either throughout the Community orpursuant tonational
laws ,ofcertain acids tocorrect the inadequate natural acidity ofseveral
fruit juices andnectars ;
Whereas itisadvisable tosedc anoverall solution toalltheproblems posed
"bytheneed toincrease theacidity offruit juices andneotars ,andwhereas
this solution should notberestricted tothenational derogation which are
thesubject ofthereview clause inArticle 16(2 )of
Directive 75/726/EEC ;
X0JNoL311,1.12.1975 ,P.40
20JNoL37,13.2.1979 ,P.27

Whereasacleardistinction shouldbedrawnbetweenfruitjuices
andnectarsontheonehandandfurtherprocessedproductssuchassoft
drinksontheothers
>v
Whereastheuseofanacidproperisincompatible withtheverynature
offruitjuicesandnectars,themainintrinsiccharacteristics ofwhich
shouldbederivedfromthefruitsused;
Whereastheuseoflemonjuice,concentratedifnecessary,tooffset
acertainlackofnaturalacidityisthemostappropriate meansof
attainingthisobjective; ''.-
Whereas,however,suohapracticecannot "befreelyauthorized "butshould
"berestrictedtothekindsoffruitsforwhichitistechnicallyjustifiable ;
Whereasitisadvisabletopreventtheuseoflemonjuice,concentratedif
necessary,foracidification purposesandwithinthelimitsimposed,fron.
beingconsideredtoconstituteamixrtureoffruitsorjuicesofdifferent "
kinds; . >
WhereasCouncilDirective79/H2/EECof18December1978ontheapproximation
ofthelawsoftheMemberStatesrelatingtothelabelling,presentation
andadvertisingoffoodstuffsforsaletotheultimateconsumer3,pursuant
tothefirstparagraphofArticle20thereof,didnotaffecttheprovisions
ofDirective75/726/eECrelatingtothelabellingandpresentationoffruit
juicesandsimilarproducts;
Whereasthese"provisionsshould,pursuanttothesecondparagraph ,
ofArtiole20ofDirective79/H2/EEC,beadaptedtotherules
laiddowninthesaidDirective;.
Whereastheimplementation ofthenewlabellingarrangements forfruit
juicesandsimilarproductsshouldcoincidewiththatofDirective
79/122/EEC; ,.
30JNqL33,8;^.1979,p.1

WhereaspendingtheadoptionofCommunityprovisionsinthisfield,the
MemberStatesshouldforthetime"beingbefreetolaydownrulesgoverning
thelabellingofproducts n<~''forsalstotheultimateconsumer;
WhereasthetenthindentofArticle4(l)(*>)ofDirective75/726/EEC
providesfortheuseof"silicaaerogel";
Whereasthistermisincorrectandshould "bereplaced "bytheexpression
•silicondioxideasagelorcollodialsolution",asintheprovisions
relatingtooenplogicalprocesseslaid,down"byAnnexIII(2)(m)toCouncil
A LRegulation (EEC)No337/79onthecommonorganization ofthemarketinwine
WhereasthefirstparagraphofArticle6ofDirective75/726/EECstates
that,exceptionsapart,thesulphurdioxidecontentofa"fruitjuice",as
determinedlayanalysis,shallnotexceed10mg/l;
WhereasthisruleshouldapplytoalltheproductsdefinedinArticle1
(5)to(8)ofDirective75/726/EEC,
HASADOPTEDSHISDIRECTIVE:
Article1
Directive75/726/EECisherebyamendedasfollows:
1.InthetenthindentofArticle4(l)(b^"silicaaerogel"
shall "bereplaced "by"silicondioxideasagelorcollodialsolution".
2»,Article4(2)(c)shallbereplacedbythefollowing:
"(c)inthecaseofpineapple,apple,orangeandgrapefruitjuice
andmixturesofthe:sejuices,theaddition,fortheir
correction,oflemonjuiceinaquantitynotgreaterthan2fo
byvolumeorofsinequivalentquantityofconcentrated lemon
juice,thisadditionnotbeing,regardedasmixingwithinthe
meaningofparagraph1(a)".
40JNoL.-54,5.3.1979,p.1

Article4(3)shallbereplacedbythefollowing :
"3.Theadditionsreferredtoinparagraph2(a)and(c)maynot"be
cumulativeforthesamefruitjuice".
Article'4(4)shallhedeleted# ■»
ThefirstparagraphofArticle6shallbereplacedbythe
following:
"UnlessotherwiseprovidedforinthisDirective,thesulphurdioxide
contentoftheproductsdefinedinArticlel(5)t0(8),asdetermined
byanalysis,shallnotexceed10mgperlitre".
Article7(2)(d)shallbereplacedbythefollowing:
"(d)inthecaseofthefruitnectarswhichareobtainedfromoneor
moreofthefruitsreferredtoinparagraphIIofthe.Annex,the
addition,fortheircorrection,oflemonjuiceinaquantitynot
greaterthan¥fobyvolumeorofanequivalentquantityofconcentrated
lemonjuice,thisadditionnot"beingregardedasmixingwithinthe
meaningofArticle4(l)(a)orofparagraphl(a);".
Article7(3)shall"bedeleted.
Article11.shallbereplacedbythefollowing:
"Article11
1.Directive79/112/EECshallapplyto"theproductsdefinedin
Articlel(5)to(8)inaccordancewiththe,following,provisions.
2.(a)ThenamesunderwhichtheproductsdefinedinArticlel(5)_to(8>
aresoldshallbethenamereservedforthempursuantto
Article3(1)•(2)and(3).
However,
(i)theuseofthedescription "fruitnectar"maybemade
optionalbyMemberStatesforoneoy'moreoftheproducts

-5-
referredtoinArticle3(2)where"thedescriptionslisted
thereinareusedtodesif^ratotheseproducts:
(ii)fortheproductdefinedinArtrclel(8),theadjective
"dried"may"beaccompanied orreplaced "byparticulars of
thespecificprocessused(e.g.freeze-dried oranyother
similarreference).
(*b)Thenamesunderwhichtheyaresoldshallhesupplemented :
(i)forproductsmanufactured fromtwoormorekindsoffruit,
exceptasregardstheuseoflemonjuiceorconcentrated
lemonjuiceinaccordancewithArticle4(2)(c)and
Article7(2)(d),byalistofthefruitsused,indescending
orderoftheweightofthefruitjuicesorpurgesincluded,
whereappropriateafterrestoration ;theuseoftheterm,"fruit'
shallbeoptionalinthiscase;
(ii)forfruitjuiceswithsugarsaddedinaccordancewith
Article4(2)(a)(ii),"bythedeclaration "sweetened",
followed "byaclearindicationofthemaximumquantity
ofsugarsadded,calculatedasdrymatterandexpressed
asgrammesperlitre;thequantityindicatedmaynot
exceedtheactualquantityadded"bymorethan15
(iii)forthefruitnectarsreferredtoinArticle3(2)(c)
whicharenotdesignated "bythedescription "succoe
polpa"alone,inaccordancewiththenationalprovisions
referredtoin(a)(i),"bythedeclaration "contains
fruitpulp"oranequivalentexpression.
3.Anobligationtodeclarethelistofingredientsshallapply,
subjecttothefollowingderogations :
(a)(i)therestorationtoitsoriginalstate,"bymeansofthe

substances strictly necessary forthis operation
■■offruit juice from aconcentrated fruit juice ,
–ofafruit purée from aconcentrated fruit purée ,
Ui ;"therestoration ofthearoma
–to -concentrated fruit juice
–todried fruit juice
shall notinvolve anobligation todeclare thelist ofthe
ingredients used forthis purpose .
(b)Thesubstances listed inthefirst indent ofArticle 4(2)(b )
shall notbeconsidered asingredients ofoneoftheproducts
defined inArticle l(5)to (8)where thesulphur dioxide content
ofthese products ,asdetermined byanalysis ,does notexceed
10mgperlitre *
(c)Thecarbon dioxide which maybecontained intheproducts
defined inArticle l(5)»(6)and (7)inquantities notexceeding
2gperlitre shall notbeconsidered asaningredient ofthese
products .
Indication ofthefollowing particulars shall also be'compulsory
onthelabelling oftheproducts defined'in Article l(5)' to(8):
(a)forfruit juioe andnectar obtained wholly orpartially from <
aconcentrated product ,except asregards theuse ofconcentrated
lemon juice inaccordance with Article 4(2)(c)andArticle
*7(2)Cd)ythedeclaration "contains •••••• made from concentrate ",
plus thename oftheconcentrated product used ;
(b)fortheproducts defined inArticle l(5)»(6)and (7)» "the
carbon dioxide content ofwhich isgreater than 2gperlitre ,
thedeclaration "carbonated ";
(c)forconcentrated fruit juice anddried fruit juice ,an
indication ofthequantity ofwater tobeadded toreduce the
product tothenormal density ofthecorresponding fruit juice ;(ii)
(b)The

-7-
(d)forfruitnectars,theactualminimumcontentoffruitjuice,
fruitpureeormixtureoftheseingredients ,bythedeclaration
"fruitcontent:.......$minimum"#
'5.Theparticularsreferredtoinparagraph4(a),(b)and(d)shall
appearinthesamefieldofvisionasthosereferredtoin
Articlell(3)(a)ofDirective79/H2/EEC.
6.TheadditionofL–AscorbicacidasprovidedforinArticle4(l)(b)
shallnotauthorizeanyreferencetovitaminC«V
9.ThefollowingArticle11,ashallbeinserted:
Article11
Subject totheprovisionsto"beadopted "bytheCommunityin
thisfield,theMemberStatesshallremainfreetodeterminethe
labellingrulesfortheproductsreferredtoinArticle2(2)which
axenottobedeliveredassuchtotheultimateconsumer."
10.Articlel6(l)(e),(g)and(h)shallbedeleted.
11.Article16(2)shallbereplacedbythefollowing :
"2.Withinfiveyearsfollowingnotification ofthisDirective,the
Commissionshallre-examinethederogations inparagraph1(a),
(b),(d)and(f)andshallproposeanynecessaryamendmentsto
theCouncil.".
Article2
1.MemberStatesshallamendtheirlawsasnecessarytocomply
withthisDirective,andshallforthwithinformtheCommissionthereof;
thelawsthusamendedshallapplysoasto:
–permittradeinthoseproductswhichcomplywiththisDirective,
notlaterthantwoyearsafternotification ;

-prohibit "trade in -those products which donotcomply with this
Directive ,three years after notification .
2.Notwithstanding thesecond indent ofparagraph 1,thetime limit for
theprohibition oftrade inproducts thelabelling ofwhich does not
comply with Article 11ofDirective 75/726/E3G,asamended byArticle
1(8)ofthis Directive ,shall "bethat referred tointhesecond indent
ofArticle 22(1 )ofDirective "79/1*12/EEC
Article 3
This Directive isaddressed totheMember States *
Done at " For the Council
The President