CELEX: 51997PC0029
Language: en
Date: 1997-02-05
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) amending Regulation (EEC) No 822/87 on the common organisation of the market in wine as regards oenological practices and processes

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                    Brussels, 05.02.1997
                                                    COM(97) 29 final
                                     Proposal for a
                           COUNCIL REGULATION (EC)
amending Regulation (BEC) No 822/87 on the common organisation of the market in wine as
                      regards ocnological practices and processes
                            (presented by the Commission)
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                                 EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
1. Introduction
   Annex VI to the basic Regulation (EEC) No 822/87 establishes the list of oenological practices
   and processes authorised for wine-making. Practices and processes not in that Annex are not
   permitted.
   Where the oenological practices in question have been the subject of experiments authorised by
   the Member States, the procedure for their authorization, detailed in Article 26, provides for a
   Council decision by qualified majority.
    The development of methods and the results of experiments recently carried out in certain
   Member States justify a series of amendments to Annex VI, with the aim of introducing new
   practices.
   In addition, work carried out by the International Vine and Wine Office on the technological,
   quality and health aspects of this matter, in which the Member States of the European Union
   have actively participated, has resulted in the approval of the new practices by that
   internationally recognised body.
2. Content of the Regulation proposal presented by the Commission
    The main purpose of the proposal, which is based on Article 26(4) of the basic Regulation, is to
   include in Annex VI three new oenological practices for which experiments carried out under
   the authority of the Member States have given satisfactory results.
    The three practices are as follows:
      Tartaric stabilisation of wines by elcctrodialysis. The purpose of this practice is to obtain
      tartaric stability of the wine, in other words, the absence of subsequent precipitation of tartar
      in wines for laying down by the selective extraction of ions in a state of supersaturation in
      the wine. This is a physical process with no addition of external substance to the wine.
   -  Tartaric stabilisation by the addition of neutral calcium tartrate. The purpose of this practice
      is to obtain the tartaric stabilisation of wine by triggering the controlled precipitation of
      potassium tartrate and calcium tartrate. The addition of calcium tartrate, which is naturally
      present in the wine, induces the combined precipitation of potassium and calcium tartrates
      during the chilling of the wine.
      Treatment of the wine with urease. The purpose of this practice is to reduce the amount o\~
      urea naturally present in wine by the addition of an enzyme, urease, which decomposes urea
       into carbon dioxide and ammonium. If there is too much urea it will react with the ethanol in
      the wine to form methane, an undesirable substance in wine, during the course of ageing.
   The proposal also contains minor amendments to the text of the Annex with a view to
   specifying certain practices already admitted for the aeration of the must (which includes the
   use oï~ oxygen) and, for the German version, the correction of certain inaccuracies in the
   translation of scientific or technical terms.
    The proposal has no financial impact on the Community budget.
 ---pagebreak---                                                   Proposal for a
                                  C O U N C I L REGULATION (EC) N o /..
                                                       of
amending Regulation (BBC) No 822/87 on the common organisation of the market in wine as
                              regards oenological practices and processes
 II Hi COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
I laving regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 822/87 of 16 March 1987 on the common
organisation of the market in wine 1 , as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1592/962, and in
particular Article 26(4) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission 3 ,
Whereas, in accordance with Article 26(1) of Regulation (EEC1) No 822/87, certain oenological
practices not provided for in thai Regulation have been authorised experimentally by certain
Member States; whereas the results obtained indicate that they can be regarded as improving
vinification and the conservation of the products concerned while presenting no health risk to
consumers; whereas the practices are for the most part already recognised and permitted by the
competent international authorities; whereas, therefore, they should be permitted definitively
throughout the Community and Annex VI to Regulation (EEC) No 822/87 should be amended
accordingly;
Whereas, in the German version of Regulation (EEC) No 822/87, in Annex VI.l(q) and 3(z), the
term "Milchbaklerien" is scientifically incorrect and must be replaced by "Milchsaurebaklericn";
whereas, in the same version, in Annex VI.3(z)a, the term "Karamel" is incorrect and does not
correspond to the substance concerned by this practice, which is known as "Zuckcrkulor" in
German; whereas the use of "Xiickcrkiilor" should be permitted from 1 September 1989, the date
 1
     OJ No L 84, 27.3.1987, p. I.
2
     OJ No L 206, 16.8.1996, p. 31.
 ---pagebreak--- of entry into force of Regulation (EEC) No 4250/884, while preserving the legal certainty of those
concerned who have used "Karamel",
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
                                                 Article 1
Annex VI to Regulation (EEC) No 822/87 is hereby amended as follows:
1.      Paragraph 1 is amended as follows:
        a)      in point (a) the following is added:
                "or the addition of oxygen to the must;"
        b)      in point (q), the term "Milchbakterien" in the German version is replaced by
                "Milchsaurebakterien".
2.      Paragraph 3 is amended as follows:
        a)      in point (v), the following indents are inserted:
                      the addition of neutral calcium tartrate to assist the precipitation of tartar, under
                      conditions to be determined;
                    electrodialysis treatment to guarantee tartaric stabilisation of the wine, under
                    conditions to be determined;"
        b)      in point (z), the term "Milchbakterien" in the German version is replaced by
                "Milchsaurebakterien".
        c)      in point (z)a, the term "Karamel" in the German version is replaced by
                "Xuekerkulor".
        d)      the following point is added:
                "(z) b the use, under conditions to be determined, of a urease to reduce the urea
                         content in the wine."
    OJ No L 373, 3 1.12.1988, p. 55.
 ---pagebreak---                                                Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day following its publication in the Official
Journal of the European Communities.
However, Article l(2)(c) may be applied from 1 September 1989 at the request of interested
parties.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
one at                                                                         For the Council
 ---pagebreak---             FINANCIAL STATEMENT
        BUDGET HEADING:                                                              APPROPRIATIONS:
         16                                                                          ECU 868.3 million
        TITLE:
        Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 822/87 on the common organization of the market in
        wine as regards oenological practices and processes.
         LEGAL BASIS:
        Article 26 of Regulation (EEC) No 822/87.
        AIMS:
        - It introduces three new oenological practices
        - It defines more accurately some practices already authorized
        - It corrects some scientific and technical terms in the German translation
5.      FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS                                          PERIOD OF          CURRENT          FOLLOWING
                                                                        12 MONTHS         FINANCIAL          FINANCIAL
                                                                                             YEAR               YEAR
                                                                                             (1997)             (1998)
                                                                       (ECU million)     (ECU million)      (ECU million)
5.0     EXPENDITURE
        - CI IARGED TO PME EC BUDGE
             (REFUNDS/INTERVENTION)
        - NATIONAL AUTHORITIES
        - OTHER
5.1.    REVENUE
        - OWN RESOURCES OF THE EC
             (LEVIES/CUSTOMS DUTIES)
        - NATIONAL
                                                                          1999        2000            2001         2002
5.0.1   ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE
5.1.1   ESTIMATED REVENUE
5.2      METHOD OF CALCULATION:
(>.0    CAN THE PROJECT BE FINANCED FROM APPROPRIATIONS ENTERED IN THE                                              Y-ES/NO
        Rl LEV AN T CI IAP TER Ol 11 IE CURREN T BUDGE T?
        CAN Till' PROJECT BE FINANCED BY TRANSFER BETWEEN CHAPTERS OF                                               Yl^S/NO
        CURRENT BUDGET?
         WILL A SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET HE NECESSARY?                                                                  YES/NO
6..>     WILL FUTURE BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS BE NECESSARY?
OBSERVATIONS:
 The measure has no impact on the budget.
                                                                 4-
 ---pagebreak---                                                                    ISSN 0254-1475
                                                             COM(97) 29 final
                                              DOCUMENTS
EN                                                                        03   10
                                    Catalogue number : CB-CO97-027-EN-C
                                                              ISBN 92-78-15245-5
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities
L-2985 Luxembourg
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