Update of the international standard for wine labelling – presentation of alcoholic strength and modalities for control of nominal volume

Status: In force

Update of the international standard for wine labelling – presentation of alcoholic strength and modalities for control of nominal volume

RESOLUTION OIV-ECO 649-2020

UPDATE OF THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARD FOR WINE LABELLING – PRESENTATION OF ALCOHOLIC STRENGTH AND MODALITIES FOR CONTROL OF NOMINAL VOLUME

WARNING: This resolution amends the following resolutions

AG 6/83-ECO “Fiches 1,2,3,4” of the International Standard for labelling of wine”

AG 5/85-ECO “Fiches 5,6,7,8” of the International Standard for labelling of wine”

ECO 1/2005 “Harmonisation of labelling of wines – Field of vision”

ECO 4/2006 “Harmonisation of labelling of wines – Alcoholic stength

The GENERAL ASSEMBLY

In view of the article 2, paragraph 2 b) iii of the Agreement of 3rd April 2001, establishing the International Organisation of Vine and Wine,

CONSIDERING the decision of Executive Committee of April 2017 regarding the necessity to update the International Standard for Wine Labelling, in particular, regarding the necessity of bringing it into line with the international standards on legal metrology provided by the International Organisation for Legal Metrology, in particular regarding the following issues: batch-control procedure, nominal volume and measurement control, number of decimal places in the indication of alcoholic content,

CONSIDERING the General Standard for the labelling of pre-packaged foods of Codex Alimentarius (CODEX STAN 1-1985) on the question labelling of net content of pre-packaged foods,

CONSIDERING the International Recommendation OIML R 87 “Quantity of product in pre-packages” of the International Organisation for Legal Metrology,

CONSIDERING the International Recommendation OIML R79 “Labelling requirements for pre-packages”, in particular regarding the provision on number of decimals allowed in the presentation of quantities on labels,

ON THE PROPOSAL of the Expert group “Law and Consumer Information”,

DECIDES

TO MODIFY the article 1.1 “Definitions” of the International Standards for the labelling of Wine, as adopted by the resolution ECO 6/1983

By adding the following definition:

“Pre packed wine” means wine packaged in advance in a container, ready for offer to the consumer, or for catering purposes. [Definition reflecting the provisions of Codex STAN-1985-1]

TO REPLACE the article 2.4 “Nominal volume” of the International Standard for the Labelling of Wine as adopted by the resolution AG 5/85-ECO and modified by the resolution ECO 6/2006

By the following text:

“Article 2.4 Net contents

The net contents shall be declared in the metric system (“International System of units” (SI)).

The declaration of net contents represents the quantity at the time of packaging and is subject to enforcement by reference to an average system of quantity control.

It is recommended that the enforced average system of quantity control is compatible with the requirements set by the International Recommendation OIML R 87 “Quantity of product in pre-packages” and its further updates of the International Organisation for Legal Metrology.

TO MODIFY the article 4.1 “Field of vision” of the International Standard for the Labelling of Wine as adopted by the resolution ECO 1/2005 and to modify the resolution ECO 1/2005 accordingly as follows:

4.1 “Field of vision”

In the first paragraph the word “nominal volume” is replaced by “net contents”.

TO MODIFY the article 4.4 “Presentation of information on alcoholic strength” of the International Standard for the Labelling of Wine as adopted by the resolution ECO 4/2006 as follows:

  • By adding the phrase “or the symbols” before the symbol “vol.”
  • By adding the phrase “or the symbols” before the symbols ““alc” and “alc.””
  • By adding the following provision at the end of the article:

“The indication of the actual alcoholic strength in percentage by volume of the product shall be expressed with a maximum of one decimal place”

Annexes: outline of proposed changes

Article 1.1

Current version:

Proposed version

Definitions:

“Label” means any tag, brand, mark, pictorial or other descriptive matter, written, printed, stencilled, marked, embossed or impressed on, or attached to, a package (container) of wine.

“Single Field of Vision”:  All parts of the surface of the package (container), excluding the base, which may be seen at the same time without having to turn the package (container).

Definitions:

“Label” means any tag, brand, mark, pictorial or other descriptive matter, written, printed, stencilled, marked, embossed or impressed on, or attached to, a package (container) of wine.

“Single Field of Vision”:  All parts of the surface of the package (container), excluding the base, which may be seen at the same time without having to turn the package (container).

“Pre packed wine” means wine packaged in advance in a container, ready for offer to the consumer, or for catering purposes.

[the definition of pre-package was previously placed in the article 2.4]

Changes in resolutions required: modification of ECO 1/2005)

Article 2.4

Current version:

Proposed version

2.4 Nominal Value

2.4.1 Objectives

2.4.2 Definitions

Pre-package

Nominal volume

Actual volume

Negative error

Maximum tolerable negative error

2.4.3 Range

[possible volumes of wine pre-packages]

2.4.4 requirements for checking batches of pre-packages

2.4.4.1 Checking of the actual contents of a pre-package

2.4.4.2 Control check of the actual average volume of pre-packages

2.4. Net contents [drafting reflecting CODEX STAN 1-1985]

Article 2.4 Net contents

The net contents shall be declared in the metric system (“International system of  units” (SI)).

The declaration of net contents represents the quantity at the time of packaging and is subject to enforcement by reference to an average system of quantity control.

It is recommended that the enforced average system of quantity control is compatible with the requirements set by the International Recommendation OIML R 87 “Quantity of product in pre-packages” and its further updates of the International Organisation for Legal Metrology.

Changes in resolutions required: modification of AG 5/85-ECO)

Definition of pre-package placed under article 1.1

Article 4.1

Current version:

Proposed version

Presentation of information on alcoholic strength:

The actual alcoholic strength shall be labelled with the sign "%" and with the terms "volume", "vol." or “vol” and may be accompanied by the terms "alcohol", “alc" or “alc.".

Presentation of information on alcoholic strength:

The actual alcoholic strength shall be labelled with the sign "%" and with the term "volume", or the symbols "vol." or “vol” and may be accompanied by the terms "alcohol" or the symbols  “alc" or “alc.".

The indication of the actual alcoholic strength in percentage by volume of the product shall be  expressed with a maximum of one decimal

Modification of the resolution ECO 4/2006 “Harmonisation of labelling of wines – alcoholic strength”