ANNEX IU.K.TECHNICAL DEFINITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
The technical definitions and requirements, as referred to in Article 2(4) and Article 7, are the following:
Ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin
Ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin possesses the following properties:
organoleptic characteristics: no detectable taste other than that of the raw material;
minimum alcoholic strength by volume: 96,0 %;
maximum level of residues:
total acidity, expressed in grams of acetic acid per hectolitre of 100 % vol. alcohol: 1,5,
esters expressed in grams of ethyl acetate per hectolitre of 100 % vol. alcohol: 1,3,
aldehydes expressed in grams of acetaldehyde per hectolitre of 100 % vol. alcohol: 0,5,
higher alcohols expressed in grams of methyl2 propanol1 per hectolitre of 100 % vol. alcohol: 0,5,
methanol expressed in grams per hectolitre of 100 % vol. alcohol: 30,
dry extract expressed in grams per hectolitre of 100 % vol. alcohol: 1,5,
volatile bases containing nitrogen expressed in grams of nitrogen per hectolitre of 100 % vol. alcohol: 0,1,
furfural: not detectable.
Distillate of agricultural origin
Distillate of agricultural origin means an alcoholic liquid which is obtained by the distillation, after alcoholic fermentation, of an agricultural product or products listed in Annex I to the Treaty which does not have the properties of ethyl alcohol or of a spirit drink but still retains the aroma and taste of the raw material(s) used.
Where reference is made to the raw material used, the distillate must be obtained exclusively from that raw material.
Sweetening
Sweetening means using one or more of the following products in the preparation of spirit drinks:
semi-white sugar, white sugar, extra-white sugar, dextrose, fructose, glucose syrup, sugar solution, invert sugar solution, invert sugar syrup, as defined in Council Directive 2001/111/EC of 20 December 2001 relating to certain sugars intended for human consumption(1);
rectified concentrated grape must, concentrated grape must, fresh grape must;
burned sugar, which is the product obtained exclusively from the controlled heating of sucrose without bases, mineral acids or other chemical additives;
honey as defined in Council Directive 2001/110/EC of 20 December 2001 relating to honey(2);
carob syrup;
any other natural carbohydrate substances having a similar effect to those products.
Mixing
Mixing means combining two or more different drinks to make a new drink.
Addition of alcohol
Addition of alcohol means the addition of ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin and/or distillates of agricultural origin to a spirit drink.
Addition of water
In the preparation of spirit drinks, the addition of water shall be authorised, provided that the quality of the water is in conformity with Council Directive 80/777/EEC of 15 July 1980 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the exploitation and marketing of natural mineral waters(3) and Council Directive 98/83/EC of 3 November 1998 on the quality of water intended for human consumption(4), and that the water added does not change the nature of the product.
This water may be distilled, demineralised, permuted or softened.
Blending
Blending means combining two or more spirit drinks of the same category, distinguished only by minor differences in composition due to one or more of the following factors:
the method of preparation;
the stills employed;
the period of maturation or ageing;
the geographical area of production.
The spirit drink so produced shall be of the same category of spirit drink as the original spirit drinks before blending.
Maturation or ageing
Maturation or ageing means allowing certain reactions to develop naturally in appropriate containers, thereby giving the spirit drink in question organoleptic qualities previously absent.
[F1Flavouring
Flavouring means using in the preparation of a spirit drink one or more of the flavourings defined in Article 3(2)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008.]
Colouring
Colouring means using in the preparation of a spirit drink one or more colorants, as defined in Directive 94/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 1994 on colours for use in foodstuffs(5).
Alcoholic strength by volume
Alcoholic strength by volume means the ratio of the volume of pure alcohol present in the product in question at 20 oC to the total volume of that product at the same temperature.
Volatile substances content
Volatile substances content means the quantity of volatile substances other than ethyl alcohol and methanol contained in a spirit drink obtained exclusively by distillation, as a result solely of the distillation or redistillation of the raw materials used.
Place of manufacture
Place of manufacture means the place or region where the stage in the production process of the finished product which conferred on the spirit drink its character and essential definitive qualities took place.
Description
Description means the terms used on the labelling, presentation and packaging; on the documents accompanying the transport of a drink; on the commercial documents, particularly the invoices and delivery notes; and in its advertising.
Presentation
Presentation means the terms used on the labelling and on the packaging, including in advertising and sales promotion, in images or such like, as well as on the container, including the bottle and the closure.
Labelling
Labelling means all descriptions and other references, signs, designs or trade marks which distinguish a drink and which appear on the same container, including its sealing device or the tag attached to the container and the sheathing covering the neck of the bottle.
Packaging
Packaging means the protective wrappings, such as papers, envelopes of all kinds, cartons and cases, used in the transport and/or sale of one or more containers.
Textual Amendments
F1 Substituted by Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on flavourings and certain food ingredients with flavouring properties for use in and on foods and amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 1601/91, Regulations (EC) No 2232/96 and (EC) No 110/2008 and Directive 2000/13/EC (Text with EEA relevance).
OJ L 229, 30.8.1980, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1882/2003.
OJ L 330, 5.12.1998, p. 32. Directive as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1882/2003.
OJ L 237, 10.9.1994, p. 13. Directive as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1882/2003.