Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/374 of 24 January 2024 amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the title of the food categories of alcoholic beverages and the use of several additives in certain alcoholic beverages
Date: 2024-01-24
Institutions: Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, European Commission
Subjects: Poland, alcoholic beverage, consumer protection, food additive, food safety, foodstuffs legislation, human nutrition, labelling, market approval




L_202400374EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
Series L













2024/374


25.1.2024







            COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) 2024/374
of 24 January 2024
         
amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the title of the food categories of alcoholic beverages and the use of several additives in certain alcoholic beverages
(Text with EEA relevance)


THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on food additives (1), and in particular Article 10(3) thereof,


Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1331/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 establishing a common authorisation procedure for food additives, food enzymes and food flavourings (2), and in particular Article 7(5) thereof,

Whereas:







(1)


Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 lays down a Union list of food additives approved for use in foods and their conditions of use.












(2)


The Union list of food additives may be updated in accordance with the common procedure referred to in Article 3(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1331/2008, either on the initiative of the Commission or following an application.












(3)


An application to update the Union list of food additives was submitted by Poland on 10 August 2022 in order, in particular, to take into account the new definition of certain alcoholic beverages as described in the Polish Law Act of 2 December 2021 on fermented beverages (3) (‘the Polish Law on fermented beverages’).












(4)


Currently, Part E of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 sets out, in its points 14.2.3 to14.2.5 and 14.2.8, conditions of use as regards certain fermented beverages, which were introduced in order to allow or restrict the use of several additives in certain alcoholic beverages as described in the Polish Law of 12 May 2011 on the manufacture and bottling of wine products, distribution of such products and the organisation of the wine market (4). The Polish Law on fermented beverages replaced that Law of 12 May 2011. Therefore, some of those entries should be updated and the entry for E 353 in point 14.2.8 thereof should be deleted.












(5)


The alcoholic beverages covered by the Polish Law on fermented beverages are not covered by Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (5), since they do not fall under one of the categories of grapevine products listed in Part II of Annex VII to that Regulation.












(6)


Pursuant to Article 3(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1331/2008, the Commission is to seek the opinion of the European Food Safety Authority (‘the Authority’) in order to update the Union list of food additives set out in Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, except where the update in question is not liable to have an effect on human health. Since the authorisation of the use of several additives in certain alcoholic beverages covered by the Polish Law on fermented beverages does not lead to an additional exposure of the consumer to those substances, it constitutes an update of that list which is not liable to have an effect on human health and it is not necessary to seek the opinion of the Authority.












(7)


In the food category ‘Spirit drinks as defined in Regulation (EC) No 110/2008’ of the European Parliament and of the Council (6) in point 14.2.6 in Parts D and E of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, the use of the food colours belonging to Groups II and III as listed in points 2 and 3 of Part C of Annex II to the same Regulation and Quinoline Yellow (E 104), Sunset Yellow FCF/Orange Yellow S (E 110), Amaranth (E 123) and Ponceau 4R, Cochineal Red A (E 124) should not be authorised in ‘vodka’ to ensure consistency with point d of category 15 of Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2019/787 of the European Parliament and of the Council (7), which provides that vodka is not to be coloured.












(8)


In Parts D and E of the Union list of food additives, the food category in point 14.2.8 covers alcoholic drinks which are not included in the categories in points 14.2.1 to 14.2.7, including mixtures of alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic drinks and spirits with less than 15 % of alcohol. However, in accordance with Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 2019/787, spirit drinks are to have a minimum alcoholic strength by volume of 15 %, except in the case of products that comply with the requirements of category 39 of Annex I to that Regulation. Therefore, the title of the food category in point 14.2.8 in Parts D and E of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 should not refer to ‘spirits with less than 15 % of alcohol’. Also, the term ‘alcoholic beverages’ should be used instead of the term ‘alcoholic drinks’ and the term ‘alcoholic strength by volume’, as defined in Article 4(23) of Regulation (EU) 2019/787, should be used instead of the term ‘alcohol’. Therefore, it is appropriate to amend the title and the entries of food category ‘Other alcoholic drinks including mixtures of alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic drinks and spirits with less than 15 % of alcohol’ in point 14.2.8 in Parts D and E of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008.












(9)


The Union legislation concerning certain alcoholic beverages included in points 14.2.2, 14.2.6 and 14.2.7 in Parts A, D and E of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 has been modified. The rules applicable to those alcoholic beverages are currently laid down in Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, Regulation (EU) 2019/787 and Regulation (EU) No 251/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (8). Since this Regulation amends the categories referring to alcoholic beverages, it is appropriate to use this occasion to update some of the existing references to Union law.












(10)


Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 should therefore be amended accordingly.












(11)


The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,





HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:



Article 1
Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.


Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.




This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 24 January 2024.


For the Commission


The President

Ursula VON DER LEYEN
            





(1)  
            OJ L 354, 31.12.2008, p. 16.

(2)  
            OJ L 354, 31.12.2008, p. 1.

(3)  Dziennik Ustaw – rok 2022 poz. 24.

(4)  Dziennik Urzędowy z 2011 r. Nr 120, poz. 690.

(5)  Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/2007 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671).

(6)  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 and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1576/89 (OJ L 39, 13.2.2008, p. 16).

(7)  Regulation (EU) 2019/787 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the definition, description, presentation and labelling of spirit drinks, the use of the names of spirit drinks in the presentation and labelling of other foodstuffs, the protection of geographical indications for spirit drinks, the use of ethyl alcohol and distillates of agricultural origin in alcoholic beverages, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019, p. 1).

(8)  Regulation (EU) No 251/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on the definition, description, presentation and labelling of aromatised wine products and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1601/91 (OJ L 084, 20.3.2014, p. 14).




ANNEX
Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 is amended as follows:






(1)


In Part A, the entries in points 26 to 29 of Table 2 are replaced by the following:






‘26


Wine and other products covered by Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (*1), as listed in its Annex VII part II




27


Spirit drinks defined in Annex I, categories 1-14 of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 of the European Parliament and of the Council (*2), spirit (preceded by the name of the fruit, berries or nuts) obtained by maceration and distillation and London gin (Annex I, categories 16 and 22 of that Regulation, respectively)

Sambuca, Maraschino, Marrasquino or Maraskino and Mistrà as defined in Annex I, categories 36, 37 and 41 of Regulation (EU) 2019/787, respectively




28



Sangria, Clarea and Zurra as mentioned in Regulation (EU) No 251/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (*3)





29


Wine vinegar covered by Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, as listed in its Annex VII part II














(2)


In Part D, the entries for categories in points 14.2.2, 14.2.6, 14.2.7 and 14.2.8 are replaced by the following:






‘14.2.2


Wine and other products defined in Part II of Annex VII to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013




14.2.6


Spirit drinks as defined in Regulation (EU) 2019/787




14.2.7


Aromatised wine products as defined by Regulation (EU) No 251/2014




14.2.8


Other alcoholic beverages including mixtures of alcoholic beverages with non-alcoholic beverages and other alcoholic beverages based on distilled alcohol with alcoholic strength by volume less than 15 % ’














(3)


Part E is amended as follows:






(a)


the entry for food category in point 14.2.2 ‘Wine and other products defined by Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007, and alcohol-free counterparts’ is replaced by the following:






‘14.2.2


Wine and other products defined in Part II of Annex VII to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013




 


The use of additives is authorised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, Council Decisions on the conclusion of agreements between the European Union and certain third countries on trade in wine and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/934 (*4) and their implementing measures














(b)


the entries for Group II, Group III, E 104, E 110, E 405, E 900, E 950, E 951, E 954, E 955, E 959, E 961, E 962, E 969 and E 999 in food category in point 14.2.3 are replaced by the following:










 


‘Group II


Colours at quantum satis




quantum satis



 


excluding cidre bouché, cydr jakościowy, perry jakościowe, cydr lodowy, perry lodowe





 


Group III


Colours with combined maximum limit


200 


 


excluding cidre bouché, cydr jakościowy, perry jakościowe, cydr lodowy, perry lodowe





 


E 104


Quinoline Yellow


25 


(64)


excluding cidre bouché, cydr jakościowy, perry jakościowe, cydr lodowy, perry lodowe





 


E 110


Sunset Yellow FCF/Orange Yellow S


10 


(64)


excluding cidre bouché, cydr jakościowy, perry jakościowe, cydr lodowy, perry lodowe





 


E 405


Propane-1, 2-diol alginate


100 


 


excluding cidre bouché, cydr jakościowy, perry jakościowe, cydr lodowy, perry lodowe





 


E 900


Dimethyl polysiloxane


10 


 


excluding cidre bouché, cydr jakościowy, perry jakościowe, cydr lodowy, perry lodowe





 


E 950


Acesulfame K


350 


 


excluding cydr jakościowy, perry jakościowe, cydr lodowy, perry lodowe





 


E 951


Aspartame


600 


 


excluding cydr jakościowy, perry jakościowe, cydr lodowy, perry lodowe





 


E 954


Saccharin and its Na, K and Ca salts


80 


(52)


excluding cydr jakościowy, perry jakościowe, cydr lodowy, perry lodowe





 


E 955


Sucralose


50 


 


excluding cydr jakościowy, perry jakościowe, cydr lodowy, perry lodowe





 


E 959


Neohesperidine DC


20 


 


excluding cydr jakościowy, perry jakościowe, cydr lodowy, perry lodowe





 


E 961


Neotame


20 


 


excluding cydr jakościowy, perry jakościowe, cydr lodowy, perry lodowe





 


E 962


Salt of aspartame-acesulfame


350 


(11)a (49) (50)


excluding cydr jakościowy, perry jakościowe, cydr lodowy, perry lodowe





 


E 969


Advantame


6 


 


excluding cydr jakościowy, perry jakościowe, cydr lodowy, perry lodowe





 


E 999


Quillaia extract


200 


(45)


excluding cidre bouché, cydr jakościowy, perry jakościowe, cydr lodowy, perry lodowe’














(c)


the entries for Group II, Group III, E 104, E 110, E 124, E 160d, E 242 and E 1105 in food category in point 14.2.4 are replaced by the following:










 


‘Group II


Colours at quantum satis




quantum satis



 


excluding wino owocowe jakościowe





 


Group III


Colours with combined maximum limit


200 


 


excluding wino owocowe jakościowe





 


E 104


Quinoline Yellow


25 


(64)


excluding wino owocowe jakościowe





 


E 110


Sunset Yellow FCF/Orange Yellow S


10 


(64)


excluding wino owocowe jakościowe





 


E 124


Ponceau 4R, Cochineal Red A


1 


(61)


excluding wino owocowe jakościowe





 


E 160d


Lycopene


10 


 


excluding wino owocowe jakościowe





 


E 242


Dimethyl dicarbonate


250 


(24)


only fruit wine, alcohol reduced fruit wine and wino owocowe jakościowe, wino owocowe likierowe, wino owocowe aromatyzowane, wino z soku winogronowego, aromatyzowane wino z soku winogronowego, wino owocowe niskoalkoholowe and aromatyzowane wino owocowe niskoalkoholowe





 


E 1105


Lysozyme



quantum satis



 


only wino z soku winogronowego, aromatyzowane wino z soku winogronowego, wino owocowe niskoalkoholowe and aromatyzowane wino owocowe niskoalkoholowe’














(d)


the category in point 14.2.5 is amended as follows:






(i)


the entry for Group II is replaced by the following:










 


‘Group II


Colours at quantum satis




quantum satis



 


except miód pitny jakościowy’














(ii)


the following entry for E 150a is inserted after the entry for Group II:










 


‘E 150a


Plain Caramel



quantum satis



 



miód pitny jakościowy can only contain E 150a made from honey’


















(e)


the category in point 14.2.6 is amended as follows:






(i)


the entry for food category in point 14.2.6 ‘Spirit drinks as defined in Regulation (EC) No 110/2008’ is replaced by the following:






‘14.2.6


Spirit drinks as defined in Regulation (EU) 2019/787’














(ii)


the entries for Group II, Group III, E 104, E 110, E 123, E 124, E 150a-d, E 338-452, and E 473-474 in food category 14.2.6 are replaced by the following:










 


‘Group II


Colours at quantum satis




quantum satis



 


except: spirit drinks as defined in categories 1-17, 22, 36, 37 and 41 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787




 


Group III


Colours with combined maximum limit


200 


(87)


except: spirit drinks as defined in categories 1-17, 22, 36, 37 and 41 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787




 


E 104


Quinoline Yellow


180 


(61)


except: spirit drinks as defined in categories 1-17, 22, 36, 37 and 41 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787




 


E 110


Sunset Yellow FCF/Orange Yellow S


100 


(61)


except: spirit drinks as defined in categories 1-17, 22, 36, 37 and 41 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787




 


E 123


Amaranth


30 


 


except: spirit drinks as defined in categories 1-17, 22, 36, 37 and 41 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787




 


E 124


Ponceau 4R, Cochineal Red A


170 


(61)


except: spirit drinks as defined in categories 1-17, 22, 36, 37 and 41 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787




 


E 150a-d


Caramels



quantum satis



 


except: spirit drinks as defined in categories 15-17, 22, 36, 37 and 41 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787
category 2 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 can only contain E 150a
category 1, 3-8, 10-14 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 can only contain added caramel as a means of adjusting the colour




 


E 338-452


Phosphoric acid – phosphates – di-, tri- and polyphosphates


1 000 


(1) (4)


except: category 2 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787




 


E 473-474


Sucrose esters of fatty acids – sucroglycerides


5 000 


(1)


except: category 2 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787’


















(f)


the category in point 14.2.7 is amended as follows:






(i)


the entry for food category in point 14.2.7 ‘Aromatised wine-based products as defined by Regulation (EEC) No 1601/91’ is replaced by the following:






‘14.2.7


Aromatised wine products as defined by Regulation (EU) No 251/2014’














(ii)


the second entry for E 123 in food category in point 14.2.7.1 is replaced by the following:










 


‘E 123


Amaranth


30 


 


only wine-based aperitif’


















(g)


the category in point 14.2.8 is amended as follows:






(i)


the entry for food category in point 14.2.8 ‘Other alcoholic drinks including mixtures of alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic drinks and spirits with less than 15 % of alcohol’ is replaced by the following:






‘14.2.8


Other alcoholic beverages including mixtures of alcoholic beverages with non-alcoholic beverages and other alcoholic beverages based on distilled alcohol with alcoholic strength by volume less than 15 %’














(ii)


the entries for Group III, E 104, E 110, E 123, E 124, E 160b(ii), E 200-202, E 210-213, E 220-228, E 242, E405, E 432-436, E 444, E 445, E 481-482, E 952 and E 1105 are replaced by the following:










 


‘Group III


Colours with combined maximum limit


200 


(87)


only alcoholic beverages with alcoholic strength by volume less than 15 %




 


E 104


Quinoline Yellow


180 


(61)


only alcoholic beverages with alcoholic strength by volume less than 15 %




 


E 110


Sunset Yellow FCF/Orange Yellow S


100 


(61)


only alcoholic beverages with alcoholic strength by volume less than 15 %




 


E 123


Amaranth


30 


 


only alcoholic beverages with alcoholic strength by volume less than 15 %




 


E 124


Ponceau 4R, Cochineal Red A


170 


(61)


only alcoholic beverages with alcoholic strength by volume less than 15 %




 


E 160b(ii)


Annatto norbixin


10 


 


only alcoholic beverages with alcoholic strength by volume less than 15 %




 


E 200-202


Sorbic acid – potassium sorbate


200 


(1) (2)


only alcoholic beverages with alcoholic strength by volume less than 15 %




 


E 210-213


Benzoic acid – benzoates


200 


(1) (2)


only alcoholic beverages with alcoholic strength by volume less than 15 %




 


E 220-228


Sulphur dioxide – sulphites


200 


(3)


only napój winny owocowy, napój winny miodowy, aromatyzowany napój winny owocowy, aromatyzowany napój winny miodowy,





 


E 220-228


Sulphur dioxide – sulphites


20 


(3)


only in fermented grape must-based beverages




 


E 242


Dimethyl dicarbonate


250 


(24)


 




 


E 405


Propane-1, 2-diol alginate


100 


 


only in fermented grape must-based beverages




 


E 432-436


Polysorbates


10 


(1)


only carbonated beverages




 


E 444


Sucrose acetate isobutyrate


300 


 


only flavoured cloudy alcoholic beverages with alcoholic strength by volume less than 15 %




 


E 445


Glycerol esters of wood rosins


100 


 


only flavoured cloudy alcoholic beverages with alcoholic strength by volume less than 15 %




 


E 481-482


Stearoyl-2-lactylates


8 000 


(1)


only flavoured beverages with alcoholic strength by volume less than 15 %




 


E 952


Cyclamic acid and its Na and Ca salts


250 


(51)


only mixtures of alcoholic beverages with non-alcoholic beverages




 


E 1105


Lysozyme



quantum satis



 


only napój winny owocowy, napój winny miodowy, aromatyzowany napój winny owocowy, aromatyzowany napój winny miodowy’














(iii)


the entry for E 353 is deleted.














(*1)  
            OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671.

(*2)  
            OJ L 130, 17.5.2019, p. 1.

(*3)  
            OJ L 84, 20.3.2014, p. 14.’
         

(*4)  
            OJ L 149, 7.6.2019, p. 1.’
         



ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/374/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)