2001/116/EC: Commission Decision of 25 January 2001 authorising Austria to continue trials involving new oenological practices (notified under document number C(2001) 150)
Date: 2001-01-25
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Austria, derogation from EU law, vinification, wine

14.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 43/37

COMMISSION DECISION

of 25 January 2001

authorising Austria to continue trials involving new oenological practices

(notified under document number C(2001) 150)

(Only the German text is authentic)

(2001/116/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 of 17
May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in
wine (1),

Having regard to Commission Regulation (EC) No 1622/2000
of 24 July 2000 laying down certain detailed rules for imple-
menting Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 on the common
organisation of
in wine and establishing a
Community code of oenological practices and processes (2), and
in particular Article 41(3) thereof,

the market

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Austria has authorised trials involving the use of oxalic
acid to reduce the calcium content of wine, the addition
of up to 200 mg of metartaric acid per litre of wine for
the tartaric stabilisation of wine and the use of silver
chloride to eliminate undesirable taste or odour in wine.

Austria has sent
the Commission a communication
regarding those trials. The Commission has informed the
Member States of the results of the latter.

Austria has requested the Commission for authorisation
to extend those trials for a further three years in view of
the positive results achieved and has submitted the rele-
vant documents in support of its request.

Since 31 August 1979 the use of silver chloride in wine,
which does not comply with the general conditions laid
down in Article 42(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1493/
1999, has been removed from the list of oenological
practices allowed in the Community. That trial, which
may also pose risks to public health and the environ-
ment, should therefore not be extended.

(5)

Grapes from the 2000 harvest must have already been
vinified under those trials.

(6) Wine thus treated and placed on the market must not
present any threat to consumer health at the doses used,

nor affect the quality expected by the consumer of this
type of product.

(7) Wine not meeting the conditions for the trials may not
be offered or supplied for human consumption in
accordance with Article 45 of Regulation (EC) No 1493/
1999 and is subject to the conditions laid down in
Article 43 of Regulation (EC) No 1622/2000.

(8)

The measures provided for in this Decision are in
accordance with the opinion of
the Management
Committee for Wine,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Austria is hereby authorised to continue applying the following
oenological practices on a trial basis:

— the use of oxalic acid for the precipitation of calcium,
provided that this treatment does not lead to an increase in
the initial concentration of oxalic acid in the wine treated,

— the addition of up to 200 mg of metatartaric acid per litre
of wine, provided that the total quantity of tartaric acid
present in the wine does not lead to the acceptable daily
intake of tartrate of 30 mg/kg body weight being exceeded
and that no DL-tartaric acid is formed in the wine treated,

until 31 July 2002 in accordance with the conditions laid
down in Article 41 of Regulation (EC) No 1622/2000.

This Decision is addressed to the Republic of Austria.

Article 2

Done at Brussels, 25 January 2001.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 179, 14.7.1999, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 194, 31.7.2000, p. 1.