European Spirits Organisation Welcomes New Spirit Drinks Definition
After what has been a lengthy and sometimes emotional debate, a good compromise has been reached on how best to both safeguard current traditional practices and ensure appropriate scope for innovation.
19/12/07 The European Spirits Organisation – CEPS has welcomed the adoption at First Reading of the new EU Regulation on definitions of spirit drinks on 17 December.
After what has been a lengthy and sometimes emotional debate, a good compromise has been reached on how best to both safeguard current traditional practices and ensure appropriate scope for innovation.
Some of the main outcomes for the EU spirits industry worthy of note are:
• Greater clarity and legibility of spirit definitions across the EU;
• The establishment of improved definitions for some spirits such as whisk(e)y, brandy and rum;
• Specific recognition of traditional practices like ‘rounding’ and ‘flavouring’ for
certain spirits;
• Better protection for EU spirit drinks which currently hold geographical indications, via the strict application of the principles of the ‘TRIPS’ Agreement;
• Creation of a new geographical indication for ‘Genever’.
Upon adoption of the new Regulation, Director General of the European Spirits Organisation – CEPS, Jamie Fortescue, commented:
“We are very happy that the new Regulation on EU spirit definitions has been adopted and that so many of the aspects called for by the industry back in 2000 have been reflected in the final text. We now look forward to the new Regulation’s implementation, which will help maintain the worldwide reputation for quality which EU spirit drinks enjoy and ensure that the EU remains the world’s leading spirits producer.
