Council Regulation (EEC) No 1601/91 (3) and Commission Regulation (EC) No 122/94 (4) have proved successful in regulating aromatised wines, aromatised wine-based drinks and aromatised wine-product cocktails (‘aromatised wine products’). However, in the light of technologic innovation, market developments and evolving consumer expectations it is necessary to update the rules applicable to the definition, description, presentation, labelling and protection of geographical indications of certain aromatised wine products, while taking into account traditional production methods.
(2)
Further amendments are needed as a consequence of the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, in order to align the powers conferred upon the Commission pursuant to Regulation (EEC) No 1601/91 to Articles 290 and 291 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). In view of the scope of those amendments, it is appropriate to repeal Regulation (EEC) No 1601/91 and to replace it with this Regulation. Regulation (EC) No 122/94 introduced rules on flavouring and addition of alcohol applicable to some aromatised wine products, and in order to ensure clarity, those rules should be incorporated into this Regulation.
(3)
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council (5) applies to the presentation and labelling of aromatised wine products, save as otherwise provided for in this Regulation.
(4)
Aromatised wine products are important for consumers, producers and the agricultural sector in the Union. The measures applicable to aromatised wine products should contribute to the attainment of a high level of consumer protection, the prevention of deceptive practices and the attainment of market transparency and fair competition. By doing so, the measures will safeguard the reputation that the Union’s aromatised wine products have achieved in the internal market and on the world market by continuing to take into account the traditional practices used in the production of aromatised wine products as well as increased demand for consumer protection and information. Technological innovation should also be taken into account in respect of the products for which such innovation serves to improve quality, without affecting the traditional character of the aromatised wine products concerned.
(5)
The production of aromatised wine products constitutes a major outlet for the agricultural sector of the Union, which should be emphasised by the regulatory framework.
(6)
In the interest of consumers, this Regulation should apply to all aromatised wine products placed on the market in the Union, whether produced in the Member States or in third countries. In order to maintain and improve the reputation of the Union’s aromatised wine products on the world market, the rules provided for in this Regulation should also apply to aromatised wine products produced in the Union for export.
(7)
To ensure clarity and transparency in Union law governing aromatised wine products, it is necessary to clearly define the products covered by that law, the criteria for the production, description, presentation and labelling of aromatised wine products and in particular, the sales denomination. Specific rules on the voluntary indication of the provenance supplementing those laid down in Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 should also be laid down. By laying down such rules, all stages in the production chain are regulated and consumers are protected and properly informed.
(8)
The definitions of aromatised wine products should continue to respect traditional quality practices but should be updated and improved in the light of technological developments.
(9)
Aromatised wine products should be produced in accordance with certain rules and restrictions, which guarantee that consumer expectations as regards quality and production methods are met. In order to meet the international standards in this field, the production methods should be established and the Commission should as a general rule take into account the standards recommended and published by the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV).
(10)
Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council (6) and Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council (7) should apply to aromatised wine products.
(11)
Moreover, the ethyl alcohol used for the production of aromatised wine products should be exclusively of agricultural origin, so as to meet consumer expectations and conform to traditional quality practices. This will also ensure an outlet for basic agricultural products.
(12)
Given the importance and complexity of the aromatised wine products sector, it is appropriate to lay down specific rules on the description and presentation of aromatised wine products supplementing the labelling provisions laid down in Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011. Those specific rules should also prevent the misuse of sales denominations of aromatised wine products in the case of products which do not meet the requirements set out in this Regulation.
(13)
With a view to facilitating consumers’ understanding, it should be possible to supplement the sales denominations laid down in this Regulation with the customary name of the product within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011.
(14)
Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 (8) applies, inter alia, to processed agricultural products for use as food, which includes aromatised wine products. Accordingly, aromatised wine products which meet the requirements laid down in that Regulation and the acts adopted pursuant to it may be placed on the market as organic aromatised wine products.
(15)
In applying a quality policy and in order to allow a high level of quality of aromatised wine products with a geographical indication, Member States should be allowed to adopt stricter rules than those laid down in this Regulation on the production, description, presentation and labelling of aromatised wine products with a geographical indication that are produced in their own territory, in so far as such rules are compatible with Union law.
(16)
Given that Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council (9), Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (10), and the provisions on geographical indications in Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (11) do not apply to aromatised wine products, specific rules on protection of geographical indications for aromatised wine products should be laid down. Geographical indications should be used to identify aromatised wine products as originating in the territory of a country, or a region or locality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the aromatised wine product is essentially attributable to its geographical origin and such geographical indications should be registered by the Commission.
(17)
A procedure for the registration, compliance, alteration and possible cancellation of third country and Union geographical indications should be laid down in this Regulation.
(18)
Member State authorities should be responsible for ensuring compliance with this Regulation, and arrangements should be made for the Commission to be able to monitor and verify such compliance.
(19)
In order to supplement or amend certain non-essential elements of this Regulation, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the TFEU should be delegated to the Commission in respect of the establishment of production processes for obtaining aromatised wine products; criteria for the demarcation of geographical areas and rules, restrictions and derogations related to production in such areas; the conditions under which a product specification may include additional requirements; the determination of the cases in which a single producer may apply for the protection of a geographical indication and the restrictions governing the type of applicant that may apply for such protection; the establishment of the conditions to be complied with in respect of an application for the protection of a geographical indication, scrutiny by the Commission, the objection procedure and procedures for amendment and cancellation of geographical indications; the establishment of the conditions applicable to trans-border applications; the setting of the date for the submission of an application or a request, the date from which the protection applies and the date on which an amendment to a protection applies; the establishment of the conditions relating to amendments to product specifications, including the conditions when an amendment is considered minor and the conditions relating to the applications for, and approval of, amendments, which do not involve any change to the single document; the restrictions regarding the protected name; the nature and type of information to be notified in the exchange of information between Member States and the Commission, the methods of notification, the rules related to the access rights to information or information systems made available and the modalities of publication of the information. It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level. The Commission, when preparing and drawing up delegated acts, should ensure a simultaneous, timely and appropriate transmission of relevant documents to the European Parliament and to the Council.
(20)
In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation with regard to the methods of analysis for determining the composition of aromatised wine products; decisions on conferring protection on geographical indications and on rejecting applications for such protection; decisions on cancelling the protection of geographical indications and of existing geographical designations; decisions on approval of application for amendments in the case of minor amendments to the product specifications; the information to be provided in the product specification with regard to the definition of geographical indication; the means of making decisions on protection or rejection of geographical indications available to the public; relating to the submission of trans-border applications; checks and verifications to be carried out by Member States; the procedure, including admissibility, for the examination of applications for protection or for the approval of an amendment of a geographical indication, and the procedure, including admissibility, for requests for objection, cancellation or conversion and the submission of information relating to existing geographical designations; administrative and physical checks to be carried out by Member States; and rules on providing the information necessary for the application of the provision concerning the exchange of information between Member States and the Commission, the arrangements for the management of the information to be notified, the content, form, timing, frequency and deadlines of the notifications and arrangements for transmitting or making information and documents available to the Member States, the competent authorities in third countries, or the public; implementing power should be conferred on the Commission. Those implementing powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council (12).
(21)
The Commission should, by means of implementing acts and, given their special nature, acting without applying Regulation (EU) No 182/2011, publish the single document in the Official Journal of the European Union, decide whether to reject an application for protection of a geographical indication on grounds of inadmissibility and establish and maintain a register of geographical indications protected under this Regulation, including the listing of existing geographical designations in that register or their removal from the register.
(22)
The transition from the rules provided for in Regulation (EEC) No 1601/91 to those laid down in this Regulation could give rise to difficulties which are not dealt with in this Regulation. For that purpose, the power to adopt the necessary transitional measures should be delegated to the Commission.
(23)
Sufficient time and appropriate arrangements should be allowed to facilitate a smooth transition from the rules provided for in Regulation (EEC) No 1601/91 to the rules laid down in this Regulation. In any event the marketing of existing stocks should be allowed after the application of this Regulation, until those stocks are exhausted.
(24)
Since the objectives of this Regulation, namely the establishment of the rules on the definition, description, presentation and labelling of aromatised wine products and rules on the protection of geographical indications of aromatised wine products, cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States but can rather, by reason of its scale and effects, be better achieved at Union level, the Union may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives,
