THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 January 2008 on the definition, description, presentation, labelling and the protection of geographical indications of spirit drinks and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1576/89, and in particular Article 20(3) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Pursuant to Article 20(1) of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008, Member States are to submit to the Commission a technical file for each established geographical indication registered in Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 not later than 20 February 2015.
(2)
Until 20 February 2015, the Commission received technical files for 243 geographical indications out of the 330 established geographical indications. For the other 87 established geographical indications, no technical file was received within the given deadline.
(3)
In accordance with Article 20(3) of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008, the 87 established geographical indications for which no technical file was submitted to the Commission by 20 February 2015 should be removed from Annex III to that Regulation.
(4)
The other 243 established geographical indications for which technical files were submitted by 20 February 2015 shall, for the time being, remain in Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 110/2008. In accordance with Article 9 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 716/2013, the Commission will assess whether the technical files submitted for those geographical indications fulfil the requirements laid down in Article 15(1) of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008.
(5)
In the light of the above, Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 should be replaced by the Annex to this Regulation.
(6)
Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(7)
The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for Spirit Drinks,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: