THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 of 22 October 2007 establishing a common organisation of agricultural markets and on specific provisions for certain agricultural products (‘Single CMO’ Regulation)(1), and in particular Article 121, first paragraph, points (k) and (m), in conjunction with Article 4 thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Croatia acceded to the European Union on 1 July 2013.
(2) The wine legislation applicable in Croatia contains no provisions on protected designations of origin and geographical indications or on the labelling of wine products, particularly those provided for by Commission Regulation (EC) No 607/2009(2). To allow the economic operators established in Croatia to continue to sell products made in line with the provisions applicable in Croatia before it acceded to the Union, the operators must be given the option of using up stocks of wine produced in line with the rules applying prior to accession.
(3) In view of its accession to the European Union on 1 July 2013, Croatia, in conformity with Article 62(3) of Regulation (EC) No 607/2009, has requested that the wine grape variety names ‘Alicante Bouschet’, ‘Burgundac crni’, ‘Burgundac sivi’, ‘Burgundac bijeli’, ‘Borgonja istarska’ and ‘Frankovka’ traditionally used to market wines produced in that country, which consist of or contain a protected designation of origin or geographical indication, may continue to appear on the labels of Croatian wines with a protected designation of origin or geographical indication. Following verification, the Commission agrees that the name of Croatia be included, with the date of accession, in Annex XV Part A of the above Regulation with regard to the names of the wine grape varieties to which this request refers.
(4) Croatia has also requested that the wine grape variety names and their synonyms ‘Aglianico crni’, ‘Nebbiolo’, ‘Primitivo’, ‘Rajnski rizling’, ‘Radgonska ranina’, ‘Sangiovese’, ‘Stajerska belina’, ‘Stajerka’ and ‘Vermentino’, that partially contain a protected designation of origin or geographical indication and directly refer to the geographical element of the protected designation of origin or geographical indication in question, may appear on the label of a Croatian product with a protected designation of origin or geographical indication. Following verification, the Commission agrees that the name of Croatia be included, with the date of accession, in Annex XV Part B of the above Regulation with regard to the names of the wine grape varieties to which this request refers.
(5) Regulation (EC) No 607/2009 should be amended accordingly.
(6) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: