
Article 1 
Regulation (EC) No 1622/2000 is hereby amended as follows:

1.. The following Article 18b is inserted:
'
Article 18b 
The usage of pieces of oak wood provided for in paragraph 4(e) of Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 may be carried out only where it meets the requirements set out in Annex XIa to this Regulation.'
2.. Annex I to this Regulation is added as Annex XIa.
Article 2 
Regulation (EC) No 884/2001 is hereby amended as follows:

1.. The following indent is added to the first subparagraph of Article 14(1):
'
— the use of pieces of oak wood in winemaking'.
2.. The following figure 8a is added to point 3.2 of paragraph B of Annex II:
'8athe product has been made using pieces of oak wood'.
Article 3 
Regulation (EC) No 753/2002 is hereby amended as follows:

1.. The following paragraph 3 is added to Article 22:
'
3. The indications in Annex X are the only terms which may be used to describe a wine that has been fermented, matured or aged in an oak container. The Member States may, however, establish other indications equivalent to those laid down in Annex X for such wines, paragraphs 1 and 2 applying mutatis mutandis.Use of one of the indications listed in Annex X shall be permitted where the wine has been aged in an oak container in accordance with the national rules in force, even when the aging process continues in another type of container. The Member States shall notify the Commission of the measures they take to implement this paragraph.The indications in Annex X may not be used to describe a wine made with the aid of pieces of oak wood, even in association with the use of an oak container or oak containers.'
2.. Annex II to this Regulation is added as Annex X.
Article 4 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.Done at Brussels, 11 October 2006.
For the Commission
Mariann FISCHER BOEL
Member of the Commission
ANNEX I


ANNEX XIa 
Pieces of oak wood are used in winemaking, to pass on certain characteristics of oak wood to wine.

The pieces of oak wood must come exclusively from the Quercus genus.

They may be left in their natural state, or heated to a low, medium or high temperature, but they may not have undergone combustion, including surface combustion, nor be carbonaceous or friable to the touch. They may not have undergone any chemical, enzymatic or physical processes other than heating. No product may be added for the purpose of increasing their natural flavour or the amount of their extractible phenolic compounds.

The label must mention the origin of the botanical species of oak and the intensity of any heating, the storage conditions and safety precautions.

The dimensions of the particles of wood must be such that at least 95 % in weight are retained by a 2 mm mesh filter (9 mesh).

The pieces of oak wood may not release any substances in concentrations which may be harmful to health.

This treatment is to be recorded in the register referred to in Article 70(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999.


ANNEX II


ANNEX X 
“barrel fermented” “barrel matured” “barrel aged”
“oak-cask fermented” “oak-cask matured” “oak-cask aged”
“cask fermented” “cask matured” “cask aged” 
