DECISION OF THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE No 71/2022

of 18 March 2022

amending Annex II (Technical regulations, standards, testing and certification) to the EEA Agreement [2022/1139]

THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE,

Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (‘the EEA Agreement’), and in particular Article 98 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/1793 of 20 November 2018 approving amendments to the technical file of a geographical indication for a spirit drink listed in Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 resulting in changes to its main specifications (‘Ron de Guatemala’ (GI)) ( 1 ) is to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement.

(2) Regulation (EU) 2019/787 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 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, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 ( 2 ) , as corrected by OJ L 316I, 6.12.2019, p. 3 and OJ L 178, 20.5.2021, p. 4 , is to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement.

(3) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1350 of 12 August 2019 registering a geographical indication of a spirit drink under Article 30(2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 of the European Parliament and of the Council (‘Absinthe de Pontarlier’) ( 3 ) is to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement.

(4) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1682 of 2 October 2019 registering a geographical indication of a spirit drink under Article 30(2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 of the European Parliament and of the Council ‘Ямболска гроздова ракия/Гроздова ракия от Ямбол/Yambolska grozdova rakya/Grozdova rakya ot Yambol’ ( 4 ) is to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement.

(5) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/154 of 23 January 2020 registering a geographical indication of a spirit drink under Article 30(2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 of the European Parliament and of the Council ‘Norsk Vodka/Norwegian Vodka’ ( 5 ) is to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement.

(6) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/156 of 23 January 2020 registering a geographical indication of a spirit drink under Article 30(2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 of the European Parliament and of the Council ‘Norsk Akevitt’/‘Norsk Aquavit’/‘Norsk Akvavit’/‘Norwegian Aquavit’ ( 6 ) is to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement.

(7) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/179 of 3 February 2020 approving amendments to the specification for a spirit drink whose name is registered as a geographical indication(Berliner Kümmel) ( 7 ) is to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement.

(8) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/623 of 30 April 2020 approving amendments to the specification for a spirit drink whose name is registered as a geographical indication (Ratafia de Champagne) ( 8 ) is to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement.

(9) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1286 of 9 September 2020 approving amendments to the specification for a spirit drink whose name is registered as a geographical indication (Scotch Whisky) ( 9 ) is to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement.

(10) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1287 of 9 September 2020 approving amendments to the specification for a spirit drink whose name is registered as a geographical indication (Hierbas de Mallorca) ( 10 ) is to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement.

(11) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2079 of 8 December 2020 approving amendments to the product specification for a spirit drink whose name is registered as a geographical indication (Münchener Kümmel) ( 11 ) is to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement.

(12) Regulation (EU) 2019/787 repeals Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 12 ) , which is incorporated into the EEA Agreement and which is consequently to be repealed under the EEA Agreement.

(13) Commission Regulations (EU) No 164/2012 ( 13 ) , (EU) No 1065/2013 ( 14 ) , (EU) No 97/2014 ( 15 ) , (EU) No 98/2014 ( 16 ) , (EU) No 426/2014 ( 17 ) , (EU) 2015/210 ( 18 ) , (EU) 2016/235 ( 19 ) , (EU) 2016/1067 ( 20 ) , (EU) 2018/175 ( 21 ) , (EU) 2018/1098 ( 22 ) , (EU) 2018/1850 ( 23 ) , (EU) 2018/1871 ( 24 ) , (EU) 2019/335 ( 25 ) and (EU) 2019/674 ( 26 ) , which are incorporated into the EEA Agreement, have become obsolete and are consequently repealed under the EEA Agreement.

(14) This Decision concerns legislation regarding spirit drinks. Legislation regarding spirit drinks shall not apply to Liechtenstein as long as the application of the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on trade in agricultural products is extended to Liechtenstein, as specified in the introduction to Chapter XXVII of Annex II to the EEA Agreement. This Decision is therefore not to apply to Liechtenstein.

(15) Annex II to the EEA Agreement should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Chapter XXVII of Annex II to the EEA Agreement shall be amended as follows:

(1) The text of point 9 (Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council) is replaced by the following:

‘ 32019 R 0787 : Regulation (EU) 2019/787 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 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, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 ( OJ L 130, 17.5.2019, p. 1 ), as corrected by OJ L 316I, 6.12.2019, p. 3 and OJ L 178, 20.5.2021, p. 4 .

The provisions of the Regulation shall, for the purposes of this Agreement, be read with the following adaptations:

(a) The provisions of the Regulation shall not prejudice the right of the EFTA States to prohibit, on a non-discriminatory basis, the placing on their national market of spirit drinks for direct human consumption which exceed an alcoholic strength of 60%.

(b) The EFTA States shall be invited to send observers to the meetings of the Committee for Spirit Drinks, as referred to in Article 47, dealing with matters which fall within acts referred to in the Agreement. The representatives of the EFTA States shall participate fully in the work of the Committee, but shall not have the right to vote.

(2) The following points are inserted after point 9a (Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 716/2013):

‘9aa.

32018 R 1793 : Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/1793 of 20 November 2018 approving amendments to the technical file of a geographical indication for a spirit drink listed in Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 resulting in changes to its main specifications (‘Ron de Guatemala’ (GI)) ( OJ L 294, 21.11.2018, p. 1 ).

9ab.

32019 R 1350 : Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1350 of 12 August 2019 registering a geographical indication of a spirit drink under Article 30(2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 of the European Parliament and of the Council (‘Absinthe de Pontarlier’) ( OJ L 215, 19.8.2019, p. 1 ).

9ac.

32019 R 1682 : Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1682 of 2 October 2019 registering a geographical indication of a spirit drink under Article 30(2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 of the European Parliament and of the Council ‘Ямболска гроздова ракия/Гроздова ракия от Ямбол/Yambolska grozdova rakya/Grozdova rakya ot Yambol’ ( OJ L 258, 9.10.2019, p. 6 ).

9ad.

32020 R 0154 : Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/154 of 23 January 2020 registering a geographical indication of a spirit drink under Article 30(2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 of the European Parliament and of the Council ‘Norsk Vodka/Norwegian Vodka’ ( OJ L 34, 6.2.2020, p. 1 ).

9ae.

32020 R 0156 : Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/156 of 23 January 2020 registering a geographical indication of a spirit drink under Article 30(2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 of the European Parliament and of the Council ‘Norsk Akevitt’/‘Norsk Aquavit’/‘Norsk Akvavit’/‘Norwegian Aquavit’ ( OJ L 34, 6.2.2020, p. 13 ).

9af.

32020 R 0179 : Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/179 of 3 February 2020 approving amendments to the specification for a spirit drink whose name is registered as a geographical indication (Berliner Kümmel) ( OJ L 37, 10.2.2020, p. 4 ).

9ag.

32020 R 0623 : Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/623 of 30 April 2020 approving amendments to the specification for a spirit drink whose name is registered as a geographical indication (Ratafia de Champagne) ( OJ L 144, 7.5.2020, p. 10 ).

9ah.

32020 R 1286 : Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1286 of 9 September 2020 approving amendments to the specification for a spirit drink whose name is registered as a geographical indication (Scotch Whisky) ( OJ L 302, 16.9.2020, p. 4 ).

9ai.

32020 R 1287 : Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1287 of 9 September 2020 approving amendments to the specification for a spirit drink whose name is registered as a geographical indication (Hierbas de Mallorca) ( OJ L 302, 16.9.2020, p. 6 ).

9aj.

32020 R 2079 : Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2079 of 8 December 2020 approving amendments to the product specification for a spirit drink whose name is registered as a geographical indication (Münchener Kümmel) ( OJ L 423, 15.12.2020, p. 1 ).’

Article 2

The texts of Regulations (EU) 2018/1793 and (EU) 2019/787, as corrected by OJ L 316I, 6.12.2019, p. 3 and OJ L 178, 20.5.2021, p. 4 , and Implementing Regulations (EU) 2019/1350, (EU) 2019/1682, (EU) 2020/154, (EU) 2020/156, (EU) 2020/179, (EU) 2020/623, (EU) 2020/1286, (EU) 2020/1287 and (EU) 2020/2079 in the Icelandic and Norwegian languages, to be published in the EEA Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union , shall be authentic.

Article 3

This Decision shall enter into force on 19 March 2022, provided that all the notifications under Article 103(1) of the EEA Agreement have been made ( *1 ) .

Article 4

This Decision shall be published in the EEA Section of, and in the EEA Supplement to, the Official Journal of the European Union .

Done at Brussels, 18 March 2022.

For the EEA Joint Committee

The President

Nicolas VON LINGEN

( 1 ) OJ L 294, 21.11.2018, p. 1 .

( 2 ) OJ L 130, 17.5.2019, p. 1 .

( 3 ) OJ L 215, 19.8.2019, p. 1 .

( 4 ) OJ L 258, 9.10.2019, p. 6 .

( 5 ) OJ L 34, 6.2.2020, p. 1 .

( 6 ) OJ L 34, 6.2.2020, p. 13 .

( 7 ) OJ L 37, 10.2.2020, p. 4 .

( 8 ) OJ L 144, 7.5.2020, p. 10 .

( 9 ) OJ L 302, 16.9.2020, p. 4 .

( 10 ) OJ L 302, 16.9.2020, p. 6 .

( 11 ) OJ L 423, 15.12.2020, p. 1 .

( 12 ) OJ L 39, 13.2.2008, p. 16 .

( 13 ) OJ L 53, 25.2.2012, p. 1 .

( 14 ) OJ L 289, 31.10.2013, p. 48 .

( 15 ) OJ L 33, 4.2.2014, p. 1 .

( 16 ) OJ L 33, 4.2.2014, p. 3 .

( 17 ) OJ L 125, 26.4.2014, p. 55 .

( 18 ) OJ L 35, 11.2.2015, p. 16 .

( 19 ) OJ L 44, 19.2.2016, p. 7 .

( 20 ) OJ L 178, 2.7.2016, p. 1 .

( 21 ) OJ L 32, 6.2.2018, p. 48 .

( 22 ) OJ L 197, 3.8.2018, p. 7 .

( 23 ) OJ L 302, 28.11.2018, p. 1 .

( 24 ) OJ L 306, 30.11.2018, p. 7 .

( 25 ) OJ L 60, 28.2.2019, p. 3 .

( 26 ) OJ L 114, 30.4.2019, p. 7 .

( *1 ) No constitutional requirements indicated.