Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Council Regulation (EC) No 527/2003 authorising the offer and delivery for direct human consumption of certain wines imported from Argentina which may have undergone oenological processes not provided for in Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999
Date: 2004-10-08
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Argentina, customs regulations, derogation from EU law, import (EU), originating product, vinification, wine

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 08.10.2004 
COM(2004)644 final 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION 

amending Council Regulation (EC) No 527/2003 authorising the offer and delivery for 
direct human consumption of certain wines imported from Argentina which may have 
undergone oenological processes not provided for in Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 

(presented by the Commission) 

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

Wines originating in third countries which have undergone oenological processes not allowed 
by Community rules may not, except by way of derogation to be decided by the Council, be 
offered  for  direct  human  consumption  in  the  Community.  The  derogation  procedure  is 
provided for in Article 45(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 on the common organisation 
of the market in wine. Malic acid may be added to wine originating in Argentina to correct 
acidity,  and  while  this  oenological  process  is  permitted  in  Argentina,  it  is  prohibited  in  the 
European Union. 

Negotiations  concerning,  in  particular,  the  mutual  recognition  of  the  respective  oenological 
processes  of  both  parties  are  being  conducted  between  the  Community,  represented  by  the 
Commission,  and  Mercosur,  which  includes  the  Republic  of  Argentina,  with  a  view  to 
concluding  an  agreement  on  trade  in  wine.  These  negotiations  started  in  2002  and  are  now 
nearing  their  conclusion.  To  demonstrate  the  Commission's  positive  and  constructive 
approach to these negotiations and finalise them quickly, the provisional authorisation of this 
oenological  process,  which  is  important  for  certain  Argentinian  wines,  should  be  extended 
until the entry into force of the agreement resulting from the negotiations, and no later than 
30 September 2005. The agreement should, specifically, provide for Argentina to be able to 
use this process permanently. 

The Commission is proposing to authorise the presence of malic acid in wine originating in 
Argentina until the end of the ongoing negotiations between the Community and the Republic 
of  Argentina  with  a  view  to  concluding  an  agreement  on  trade  in  wine,  and  no  later  than 
30 September 2005. 

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Proposal for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION 

amending Council Regulation (EC) No 527/2003 authorising the offer and delivery for 
direct human consumption of certain wines imported from Argentina which may have 
undergone oenological processes not provided for in Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

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 wine1, and in particular Article 45(2) thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

As  an  exception  to  Article  45(1)  of  Regulation  (EC)  No  1493/1999,  Council 
Regulation  (EC)  No  527/20032  authorises  imports  into  the  Community  of  wine 
produced in Argentina which has undergone oenological processes not provided for in 
the Community rules. That authorisation is due to expire on 30 September 2004. 

Negotiations  are  currently  underway  between  the  Community,  represented  by  the 
Commission,  and  Argentina  on  an  agreement  on  trade  in  wine.  These  negotiations 
concern,  in  particular,  the  respective  oenological  processes  used  by  both  parties  and 
the protection of geographical indications. 

In order to facilitate the progress of these negotiations, the derogation allowing malic 
acid  to  be  added  to  wine  produced  in  Argentinian  territory  and  imported  into  the 
Community  should  be  extended  until  the  entry  into  force  of  the  agreement  resulting 
from the negotiations, and no later than 30 September 2005. 

(4) 

Regulation (EC) No 527/2003 should therefore be amended accordingly, 

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OJ L 179, 14.7.1999, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1795/2003 (OJ L 262, 
14.10.2003, p. 13). 
OJ  L  78,  25.3.2003,  p.  46.  Regulation  as  amended  by  Commission  Regulation  (EC)  No  1776/2003 
(OJ L 260, 11.10.2003, p. 1). 

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HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 

Article 1 

In the second subparagraph of Article 1(1) of Regulation (EC) No 527/2003, "30 September 
2004" is hereby replaced by "30 September 2005". 

Article2 

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of 
the European Union. 

It shall apply from 1 October 2004. 

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. 

Done at Brussels,  

For the Council 
The President 

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FICHE FINANCIÈRE 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

LIGNE BUDGÉTAIRE: 
05 02 09 

CREDITS: 
APB 05 :1 259 Mio € 

INTITULÉ DE LA MESURE: 
Proposition de règlement du Conseil modifiant le règlement (CE) n° 527/2003, autorisant l’offre et la 
livraison  à  la  consommation  humaine  directe  de  certains  vins  importés  d’Argentine,  susceptibles 
d’avoir fait l’objet de pratiques œnologiques non prévues par le règlement (CE) n° 1493/1999.  

BASE JURIDIQUE: 
Article 133 du traité 

OBJECTIFS DE LA MESURE: 
Prolongation de la dérogation des vins Argentins jusqu’au 30 septembre 2005. 

5. 

INCIDENCES FINANCIÈRES 

5.0  DÉPENSES A LA CHARGE 
– 
DU BUDGET DES CE 
(RESTITUTIONS/INTERVENTIONS) 
DES BUDGETS NATIONAUX 
– 
D'AUTRES SECTEURS 
– 

5.1  RECETTES 

RESSOURCES PROPRES DES CE 

– 
(PRÉLÈVEMENTS / DROITS DE DOUANE)
– 

SUR LE PLAN NATIONAL 

5.0.1  PRÉVISIONS DES DÉPENSES 
5.1.1  PRÉVISIONS DES RECETTES 

5.2  MODE DE CALCUL: 

– 

PÉRIODE DE
12 MOIS 

(Mio EUR) 

EXERCICE  
EN COURS 
2004 
(Mio EUR) 

EXERCICE 
SUIVANT 
2005 
(Mio EUR) 

p.m. 

p.m. 

p.m. 

– 

– 

– 

2006 

2007 

2008 

2009 

– 
– 

– 
– 

– 
– 

– 
– 

6.0 

6.1 

FINANCEMENT POSSIBLE PAR CRÉDITS INSCRITS AU CHAPITRE 
CONCERNÉ DU BUDGET EN COURS D'EXÉCUTION 

FINANCEMENT POSSIBLE PAR VIREMENT ENTRE CHAPITRES DU 
BUDGET EN COURS D'EXÉCUTION 

6.2  NÉCESSITÉ D'UN BUDGET SUPPLÉMENTAIRE 

6.3  CRÉDITS A INSCRIRE DANS LES BUDGETS FUTURS 

OBSERVATIONS: 

OUI / NON 

OUI / NON 

OUI / NON 

OUI / NON 

Il s’agit de la prolongation de la dérogation permettant à l’Argentine d’exporter du vin dans la Communauté. 
Cette  mesure  pourrait  avoir  des  conséquences  sur  les  dépenses  communautaires,  liées  aux  quantités 
supplémentaires de vin sur le marché. Toutefois, ces conséquences ne sont pas mesurables. 

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