4.10.86 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 248/5 
Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 3309/85 laying down 
general rules for the description and presentation of sparkling wines and aerated sparkling wines 
COM(86) 479final 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 23 September 1986) 
(86/C 248/05) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, 
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 337/79 of 5 February 1979 on the common 
organization of the market in wine ('), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 3805/85 (2), 
and in particular Article 54 (1) thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament, 
Whereas Council Regulation (EEC) No 3309/85 (3), as amended by Regulation (EEC) No 
1626/86 (4), laid down general rules for the description of sparkling wines and aerated 
sparkling wines; whereas, to prevent any distortion of existing trade patterns, provision should 
be made under these rules so that sparkling wines originating in third countries may be 
described as 'Sekt' if they are recognized as equivalent to a quality sparkling wine orginating in 
the Community; 
Whereas quality sparkling wines of the aromatic type are very similar, by virtue of their high 
residual sugar content, to quality sparkling wines of the aromatic type produced in specified 
regions; whereas, therefore, these two categories of product should be subject to the same rules 
as regards the description of this characteristic on the labelling; 
Whereas a typographical error should be corrected in the second subparagraph of Article 3 (2) 
of Regulation (EEC) No 3309/85, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 
Article 1 
Regulation (EEC) No 3309/85 is hereby amended as follows: 
1. The second subparagraph of Article 3 (2) is replaced by the following: 
'Where the label features the name or business name of the producer and where production 
takes place in a different local administrative area, part of such area or Member State from 
that referred to in the second indent of the first paragraph, the information referred to 
therein shall be replaced by the name of the local administrative area or part of such area 
and that of the Member State in which production took place.' 
(») OJNoL54, 5. 3. 1979, p. 1. 
O OJ No L 367, 31. 12. 1985, p. 39. 
(3) OJ No L 320, 29. 11. 1985, p. 9. 
(4) OJ No L 144, 29. 5. 1986, p. 3. 
No C 248/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 4.10. 86 
2. Article 5 (2) (e) is replaced by the following: 
'(e) in the case of sparkling wine originating in a third country: 
— "sparkling wine" 
or 
— "quality sparkling wine" or "Sekt", where the conditions laid down for the 
production of such wine have been recognized as equivalent to those set out in Title 
III of Regulation (EEC) No 358/79. 
For such sparkling wines the sales description shall be accompanied by a reference 
to the third country in which the grapes used were harvested, fermented and made 
into sparkling wine. Where the products used to produce the sparkling wine were 
obtained in a country other than that in which production took place, the indication 
of the country of production pursuant to Article 3 (3) must stand out clearly from 
all the indications shown on the labelling.' 
3. The third subparagraph of Article 5 (3) is replaced by the following: 
'Notwithstanding Article 3 (1) (c), for quality sparkling wines of the aromatic type and for 
quality sparkling wines of the aromatic type produced in specified regions as referred to in 
Article 18 of Regulation (EEC) No 358/79, indication of the type of product as referred to 
in the first subparagraph may be replaced by indication of the residual sugar content 
determined by analysis in grams per litre.' 
Article 2 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following its publication in the Official 
Journal of the European Communities. 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.