Council Minutes (16373/1/07 REV 1), 19 December 2007

SPIRIT DRINKS - Council adopts regulation on spirit drinks

The following is an extract from the minutes of the 2841st Council meeting (Agriculture and Fisheries) of 17-19 December 2007

The Council adopted, by a qualified majority6 on the basis of Article 251 of the Treaty, a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the definition, description, presentation, labelling and the protection of geographical indications of spirit drinks (3631/07).

The Polish and Swedish delegations made statements, which are set out, together with a joint Council/Commission statement, in document (15505/07 ADD 1).

The aims of the Regulation are:

• to clarify the current rules on the production and marketing of spirit drinks, adapting them to new technical requirements (manufacturing requirements, permitted colourings and flavourings, names and labelling);
• specify the numerous categories and geographical indications for the manufacture and/or denomination of typical drinks from many countries, such as aquavit, brandy, fruit spirit (kirsch), genever, grappa, gin, jägertee, kümmel, ouzo, pastis, rum, vodka, whisky and slivovitz;
• adapt Community legislation to take account of the latest enlargements and the requirements of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), including Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS);
• define the criteria for the future recognition of new geographical indications.

The European Parliament's opinion was delivered on 19 June 2007.