Commission Regulation (EC) No 1427/2004Show full title

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1427/2004

of 9 August 2004

amending Regulation (EC) No 1622/2000 laying down certain detailed rules for implementing Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine and establishing a Community code of oenological practices and processes

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine(1), and in particular Article 46 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) The Act of Accession of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia amended point 4(d) of Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999, providing for the possibility to use the pouring of wine onto lees or grape marc or pressed aszú pulp where this practice is traditionally used for the production of ‘Tokaji fordítás’ and ‘Tokaji máslás’ in the Tokaj region of Hungary under conditions to be determined. It is therefore necessary to further determine these conditions and to provide for a notification procedure if the Member State intends to modify these.

(2) Part A of Annex III to Commission Regulation (EC) No 1622/2000(2) lists the vine varieties producing grape must or grape must in fermentation that may be used to constitute the cuvée for preparing quality sparkling wines of the aromatic type and quality sparkling wines psr of the aromatic type. That list should be amended to include varieties produced in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia.

(3) Limits for sulphur dioxide content are laid down in point 1 of Part A of Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999. Derogations to these limits are listed in point 2 of Part A of Annex V to the said Regulation, and in Annex XII of Regulation (EC) No 1622/2000. Annex XII of Regulation (EC) No 1622/2000 should be amended by reason of the accession of the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

(4) Some French table wines bearing a geographical indication can have a total alcoholic strength by volume greater than 15 % vol. and can consequently have a volatile acid content above the limits laid down in Part B of Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 but less than 25 milliequivalents per litre. Some Greek quality wines psr have a total alcoholic strength by volume of at least 13 % vol., entitling them to exceptions regarding the volatile acid content laid down in point 1 of Part B of Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999. Those wines should be added to the list in Annex XIII to Regulation (EC) No 1622/2000. That Annex should also be amended on account of the accession of the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia.

(5) Annex XVIII of Regulation (EC) No 1622/2000 sets out the quality liqueur wines psr to which the products referred to in point 2(b) of Part J of Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 may be added. That list should be amended by reason of the accession of Cyprus.

(6) Regulation (EC) No 1622/2000 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(7) For reasons of control and in order to provide for the application of the amendments to Regulation (EC) No 1622/2000 as from the date of entry into force of the Treaty of Accession of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia, the Regulation should apply as from May 1 2004.

(8) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Wine,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

(1)

OJ L 179, 14.7.1999, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1795/2003 (OJ L 262, 14.10.2003, p. 13).

(2)

OJ L 194, 31.7.2000, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1410/2003 (OJ L 201, 8.8.2003, p. 9).