Implementation guidelines to the spirit drinks regulation

The European Commission published – in all official EU languages – the long awaited implementation guidelines to the spirit drinks regulation. 

Τhe purpose of this guideline document, is to assist businesses (e.g. spirit drinks producers and importers) and national administration  in the uniform application of the Spirit Drinks Regulation (EU) 2019/787, as concerns certain labelling provisions laid down therein.

It is limited to the practical explanation of labelling provisions applicable to spirit drinks, in particular (given several non-exhaustive examples) concerning the use of:

• legal names,
• compound terms,
• allusions,
• mixtures and
• blends.

The present guideline document is provided for information purposes only and its contents are not intended to replace consultation of any applicable legal sources or the necessary advice of a legal expert, where appropriate.

"Neither the Commission nor any person acting on its behalf can be held responsible for the use made of these guidance notes nor can they be considered as a binding interpretation of the legislation. Only the Court of Justice of the European Union is competent to authoritatively interpret Union law."

Guidelines for the implementation of certain labelling provisions of Regulation (EU) 2019/787, on the definition, description, presentation and labelling of spirit drinks, the use of the names of spirit drinks in the presentation and labelling of other foodstuffs, the protection of geographical indications for spirit drinks, the use of ethyl alcohol and distillates of agricultural origin in alcoholic beverages.

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