Council Regulation (EEC) No 1016/81 of 9 April 1981 amending Regulation (EEC) No 355/79 laying down general rules for the description and presentation of wines and grape musts

COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 1016/81 of 9 April 1981 amending Regulation (EEC) No 355/79 laying down general rules for the description and presentation of wines and grape musts
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 337/79 of 5 February 1979 on the common organization of the market in wine (1), as last amended by the 1979 Act of Accession, and in particular Article 54 (1) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas Regulation (EEC) No 355/79 (2), as last amended by the 1979 Act of Accession, laid down general rules for the description and presentation of wines and grape musts;
Whereas the rules in force for the description of table wines have not so far expressly covered table wines obtained by the coupage, with another product, of a table wine which was not made in the Member State where the grapes were harvested ; whereas, in the interests of clarity, the description of table wines so obtained should be laid down;
Whereas the definition of table wine given in point 11 of Annex II to Regulation (EEC) No 337/79 has been expanded to include a definition of "retsina" table wine ; whereas rules for the use of the term "retsina" should be laid down in the present Regulation;
Whereas, in order to provide the consumer with better information on the nature of a wine or grape must, provision should be made so that analytical data other than the alcoholic strength may be shown on the labelling;
Whereas the obligation to repeat, sometimes on an additional label, the expression "Wine from different countries of the European Community" in an official language of the Member State in which the wine in question is offered to the consumer has caused some practical difficulties ; whereas, in order to overcome these difficulties, which could increase the cost of distributing the products in question, a Member State should have discretion to derogate, in respect of the said wines put on the market in its territory, from the rule that the expression referred to above should be repeated in an official language of that Member State;
Whereas it is permitted to use, during a transitional period expiring on 31 August 1981, certain names of wine-growing regions to describe both table wines and quality wines psr ; whereas this period has proved too short to allow time for the necessary adaptations to be made to the relevant national rules ; whereas the date should therefore be postponed by one year;
Whereas, in order to ensure consistent application of the provisions prohibiting certain indications which might mislead the consumer, particularly those concerning the geographical origin, the vine variety, the vintage year, an expression implying a superior quality or the composition of the product, and in order to make the said provisions simpler to interpret, they should be adapted so that their scope in all the official languages of the Community is the same;
Whereas, to take account of commercial practice in the Community and in certain third countries, it has proved necessary to allow the number of the container or the number of the lot to be shown on the labelling of a quality wine psr or an imported wine the description of which includes geographical particulars;
Whereas the regions specified for production of quality wines are in some cases quite small and the consumer, particularly outside the producer Member State, has little idea of their whereabouts ; whereas, with a view to giving the consumer more information, it should be permitted to amplify the statement of the specified region from which the quality wine psr in question comes by adding the name of a larger geographical unit of which the said specified region is a part;
Whereas the transitional period during which producer Member States may, subject to certain conditions, allow the use of the name of a geographical unit smaller than the region determined for a quality wine psr made from a certain mixture of wines expires on 31 August 1981 ; whereas this transitional period has proved insufficient to allow for the national provisions concerned to be adapted ; whereas, therefore, this period should be extended for one year;  (1) OJ No L 54, 5.3.1979, p. 1. (2) OJ No L 54, 5.3.1979, p. 99.
Whereas experience acquired in the sale of certain products has shown that, in order to provide purchasers with fuller information, provision should be made for the possibility of indicating not only the total alcoholic strength by volume but also the actual alcoholic strength by volume;
Whereas details concerning the manner of manufacture, the type of the product or a particular colour are permitted at present for certain imported wines bearing a geographical indication ; whereas this is permitted subject to the condition that the said information is traditionally employed, and defined by provisions in the third country of origin ; whereas this provision imposes a heavy burden of supervision on national administrations ; whereas it is therefore proper to provide for a legal basis which will also make it possible to define the said details by means of Community provisions, retaining nevertheless the right to prohibit them in certain cases where the statements are not traditional or might be a source of confusion;
Whereas, for imported wines other than those referred to above, the said details are not permitted at present ; whereas experience has shown that, with regard to the said imported wines, the consumer needs to be better informed as to the type of wine ; whereas therefore, provision should be made for allowing the use of such information in respect of the said wines,