Commission Directive 87/250/EEC of 15 April 1987 on the indication of alcoholic strength by volume in the labelling of alcoholic beverages for sale to the ultimate consumer

30.4.1987 EN Official Journal of the European Communities L 113/57
COMMISSION DIRECTIVE
of 15 April 1987
on the indication of alcoholic strength by volume in the labelling of alcoholic beverages for sale to the ultimate consumer
(87/250/EEC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 79/112/EEC of 18 December 1978 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs for sale to the ultimate consumer (1), as last amended by Directive 86/197/EEC (2), and in particular the second paragraph of Article 10a thereof,
Whereas Article 3 of Directive 79/112/EEC made it mandatory, in the labelling of beverages containing more than 1,2 % by volume of alcohol, to indicate the actual alcoholic strength by volume;
Whereas rules concerning the manner of such indication must be laid down;
Whereas, in the case of products classified under headings No 22.04 and 22.05 of the Common Customs Tariffs, such rules are laid down in the specific Community provisions applicable to them;
Whereas this Directive applies to all other beverages containing more than 1,2 % by volume of alcohol;
Whereas the Annex to Council Directive 76/766/EEC of 27 July 1976 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to alcohol tables (3) lays down Community rules on the definition and on the method of determining and expressing alcoholic strength by volume;
Whereas this Directive may therefore be confined to introducing the provisions that must supplement such rules;
Whereas for the purpose of establishing tolerances, due regard should be given to the nature of the different beverages concerned, the degree of variability observed and the technical difficulties involved in ensuring that the declared value is consistent with the actual value;
Whereas one or more Community methods of analysis for determining alcoholic strength by volume will have to be adopted in good time in order to allow Directive 79/112/EEC and this Directive to be applied correctly;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee for Foodstuffs,