CELEX: 51994PC0395
Language: en
Date: 1994-09-27
Title: Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EEC) No 3677/89 as regards the total alcoholic strength by volume of certain quality wines imported from Hungary and Romania

COMVIISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                        C0M(94) 395 final
                                        Brussels, 27.09.1994
                           Proposal for a
                      COUNCIL REGULATION (EC)
       amending Regulation (EEC) No 3677/89 as regards the
          total alcoholic strength by volume of certain
         quality wines imported from Hungary and Romania
                   (presented by the Commission)
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                          z
                                Explanatory memorandum
Under Regulation (EEC) No 36 77/89, since the end of 1989 the Community has
granted a derogation from the "Community 15* vol. ale. rule" for certain
high-quality wines originating in Hungary (in particular Tokaj wines),
permitting the import into the Community of wines having a total alconolic
strength by volume above the usual maximum limit of 15'i. This derogation,
granted to Hungary for an initial trial period of nine months and then
extended several times pending the conclusion of a bilateral agreement on
trade in wine between the Community and Hungary, expired on 31 August 1994.
The purpose of this proposal is to grant that derogation for an indefinite
period, as the Community committed itself to doing when concluding the
Agreement with Hungary on the reciprocal protection and control of wine
names. In addition, and in accordance with the undertaking made-on the
conclusion of the similar Agreement with Romania, this proposal provides for
a similar indefinite derogation forcertain nigh-quality Romanian wines. The
two Agreements referred to above entered into force on 1 March 1994 (Romania)
and 1 April 1994 (Hungary).
Budgetary consequences:  this proposal has no financial consequences for the
                         Community budget.
_Iiripact_ on SMEn :     t h e i e w i l l be no impact on t h e coinpot i t i vene:;:; ol
                         SME:. and no a d d i t i o n t o t h e i r c o s t s .
 ---pagebreak---                                Proposal for a
                                                                     J
                       COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No ..../94
                                 Of       ..1994
             amending Regulation (EEC) No 3677/89 as regards the
                 total alcoholic strength by volume of certain
               quality wines imported from Hungary and Romania
 THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
 Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
 Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 822/87 of 16 March 1987 on the
 common organization of the market in wine<*), as last amended by
Regulation (EEC) No 1891/94( 2 ), and in particular Article 70(2) thereof,
 Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas under Article 70(1)(b) of Regulation (EEC) No 822/87, wines
 intended for direct: human consumption, other than sparkling wines and
liqueur wines, originating in third countries may not be imported into the
Community if they have a total alcoholic strength by volume exceeding 15%
vol;
Whereas under Council Regulation (EEC) No 3677/89 of 7 December 1989 on the
total alcoholic strength by volume and the total acidity of certain
imported quality wines and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 2931/80(-*),  as
                                                 4
last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 2606/93< ), a derogation was granted
from this principle for certain third-country wines pursuant to
Article 70(2)(a) of Regulation (EEC) No 822/87; whereas the derogation
applicable to certain Hungarian wines was granted for a trial period which
expired on 31 August 1994;
(1) OJ  No L 84, 27.3.1987, p. 1.
(2) OJ  No L 19 7, 3 0.7.1994, p. 42.
(3) OJ  No L 2 32, 9.8.1989, p. 1.
(4) OJ  No L 239, 24.9.1993, p. 6.
 ---pagebreak---                                                                            V
Whereas on conclusion of the Agreements between the European Community and
Hungary and Romania on the reciprocal protection and control of wine
n a m e s P ) the community undertook to grant the derogation applicable to
Hungarian wines for an indefinite period and to grant a similar derogation
for certain high-quality wines originating in Romania; «whereas Regulation
(EEC) No 3677/89 must therefore be amended accordingly,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
                                       Article 1
Article 1 of Regulation (EEC) No 3677/89 is hereby amended as follows:
l.The following point (d) is added to paragraph 1:
     "(d)     wines originating in Romania, whose total alcoholic strength by
              volume exceeds 157. vol, without enrichment, where they are
              designated by "VSOC" or "Vinuri de calitate superioara cu
              denumire de origine si trepte de calitate" (wine of superior
              quality with a designation of origin and degree of quality) and
              having one of the following geographic indications:
                     Cernavoda
                     Cotnari
                     Medgidia
                     Murfatlar
                     Nazarcea
                     Pietroasa."
/.   In paragraph 2,    the words "For the purposes of paragraph 1(b) and  (e),"
     are replaced by "For the purposes of paragraph 1(b), (c) and     (d),".
3. Paragraph 3 is deleted.
(5) OJ No L 337, 31.12.1993, pp 94 and 178.
 ---pagebreak---                                    Article 1
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the
official Journal of the European Communities-
Article 1^3^   however,, shall apply from i September 1994-
This Regulation shall be binding in its «ntixety and directly applicable in
all Ites&er States.
Done at                   fir^ssels,                  F*ar tëh* Council
                                                      3*be f»resiaâ«nt
 ---pagebreak---                                                                         6
                                                                     ISSN 0254-1475
                                                              COM(94) 395 final
                                                      DOCUMENTS
EN                                                                          1103
                                Catalogue number : CB-CO-94-415-EN-C
                                                             ISBN 92-77-80639-7
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