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Pursuant to Article 64(4) of the Agriculture Act (Uradni List RS (UL RS; Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia)) Nos 45/08, 57/12, 90/12 – ZdZPVHVVR [Act amending certain food safety, veterinary medicine and plant health acts], 26/14, 32/15, 27/17 and 22/18), the Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Food hereby issues the following:

RULES
Rules on the quality of vinegar and diluted acetic acid

Pursuant to Article 64(4) of the Agriculture Act (Uradni List RS (UL RS; Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia)) Nos 45/08, 57/12, 90/12 – ZdZPVHVVR, 26/14, 32/15, 27/17, 22/18 and 86/21 – decision of the Constitutional Court) the Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Food hereby issues the following:

R U L E S

on the quality of vinegar and diluted acetic acid


(Information procedure and clause)

(1) These rules have been issued having regard to the information procedure under Directive (EU) 2015/1535 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 September 2015, laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical regulations and rules on Information Society services (OJ L 241, 17. 9. 2015, p. 1).

(2) The provisions of these rules shall not apply to products which, in accordance with national legislation, provide an equivalent level of protection of the public interest as provided for in the legislation of the Republic of Slovenia, are legally:
(1) These rules have been issued having regard to the information procedure under Directive (EU) 2015/1535 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 September 2015, laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical regulations and rules on Information Society services (OJ L 241, 17. 9. 2015, p. 1).

(2) The provisions of these rules shall not apply to products which, in accordance with national legislation, provide an equivalent level of protection of the public interest as provided for in the legislation of the Republic of Slovenia, are legally:

produced or marketed in other Member States of the European Union and Turkey, or

produced in the countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which are also signatories to the Agreement on the European Economic Area.

(3) These Rules shall be implemented in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 2019/515 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 2019 on the mutual recognition of goods lawfully marketed in another Member State and repealing Regulation (EC) No 764/2008 (OJ L No 91 of 29.3. 2019, p. 1).
(3) These Rules shall be implemented in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 2019/515 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 2019 on the mutual recognition of goods lawfully marketed in another Member State and repealing Regulation (EC) No 764/2008 (OJ L No 91 of 29.3. 2019, p. 1).

II. SPECIAL PROVISIONS

1. Vinegar
1. Vinegar

Article 3


On the basis of the raw materials used, vinegar on the market is categorised as:

wine vinegar made exclusively from wine by a biological process of acetic acid fermentation;

fruit vinegar made exclusively from fruit wine by a biological process of acetic acid fermentation;

apple cider vinegar made exclusively from apple cider by a biological process of acetic acid fermentation;

spirit vinegar made exclusively from alcohol of agricultural source by a biological process of acetic acid fermentation;

cereal vinegar made from cereal grains by a biological process of acetic acid fermentation without intermediate distillation;

other types of vinegar (e.g. pomace vinegar, beer vinegar, malt vinegar, honey vinegar, whey vinegar).
1. wine vinegar made exclusively from wine by a biological process of acetic acid fermentation;

2. fruit vinegar made exclusively from fruit wine by a biological process of acetic acid fermentation;

3. apple cider vinegar made exclusively from apple cider by a biological process of acetic acid fermentation;

4. spirit vinegar made exclusively from alcohol of agricultural source by a biological process of acetic acid fermentation;

5. cereal vinegar made from cereal grains by a biological process of acetic acid fermentation without intermediate distillation;

6. other types of vinegar (e.g. pomace vinegar, beer vinegar, malt vinegar, honey vinegar, whey vinegar).

Article 6


(Acetic acid content)

Vinegar may contain only as many total acids, expressed as acetic acid, as are formed during acetic acid fermentation.

In addition to acetic acid, vinegar may contain only those organic acids which originate from the raw material used or which are formed during acetic acid fermentation.

To standardise the acetic acid content, water that meets the requirements of the regulations governing drinking water may be added to the vinegar.
(1) Vinegar may contain only as many total acids, expressed as acetic acid, as are formed during acetic acid fermentation.

(2) In addition to acetic acid, vinegar may contain only those organic acids which originate from the raw material used or which are formed during acetic acid fermentation.

(3) To standardise the acetic acid content, water that meets the requirements of the regulations governing drinking water may be added to the vinegar.

Article 13

(Mixed vinegar)

The types of vinegar referred to in Article 5 of these Rules may be mixed with each other if such mixed vinegar is marked in accordance with these Rules.

Mixing vinegar obtained by fermentation with acetic acid is prohibited.
(1) The types of vinegar referred to in Article 5 of these Rules may be mixed with each other if such mixed vinegar is marked in accordance with these Rules.

(2) Mixing vinegar obtained by fermentation with acetic acid is prohibited.

Article 14

(Vinegar labelling)

The name vinegar may be used to mark vinegar produced in accordance with the natural biological procedure referred to in Article 3 of these Rules and in accordance with Article 12(3) of these Rules.

Vinegar made of one raw material must be marked with the name vinegar and with the indication of the raw material, or diluted wine vinegar, if it was produced by dilution of e.g. wine vinegar.

Vinegar made of different raw materials must be marked with the name vinegar or mixed vinegar and with the indication of all raw materials in descending order according to the quantity of raw material.

Vinegar containing additives, referred to in Article 7 of these Rules, must contain an indication of the type of ingredient (e.g. apple cider vinegar with honey) in the name of the product, except for vinegar containing an additive referred to in:

Article 7(1)(a) of these Rules, which may be designated as herbal vinegar,

Article 7(1)(b) of these Rules, which may be designated as balsamic vinegar.

The content of total acids in vinegar, expressed as acetic acid in g/100 ml, must be expressed on the label as ‘.......% acidity’, meaning the percentage by volume of acetic acid.

2. Diluted acetic acid
(1) The name vinegar may be used to mark vinegar produced in accordance with the natural biological procedure referred to in Article 3 of these Rules and in accordance with Article 12(3) of these Rules.

(2) Vinegar made of one raw material must be marked with the name vinegar and with the indication of the raw material, or diluted wine vinegar, if it was produced by dilution of e.g. wine vinegar.

(3) Vinegar made of different raw materials must be marked with the name vinegar or mixed vinegar and with the indication of all raw materials in descending order according to the quantity of raw material.

(4) Vinegar containing additives referred to in Article 7 of these Rules shall contain, in the name of the product, an indication of the type of ingredient (e.g. apple cider vinegar with honey), with the exception of vinegar containing the additive referred to in:

Article 7(a) of these Rules may be designated as herbal vinegar,

Article 7(b) of these Rules may be designated as balsamic vinegar.

(5) The total acidity of the vinegar, expressed as acetic acid in g/100 ml, must be expressed on the labelling as "....... % acidity", which means the percentage by volume of acetic acid.

2. Diluted acetic acid

Article 15

(Diluted acetic acid)

Diluted acetic acid, suitable for consumption, is a product obtained by diluting acetic acid with drinking water and does not contain the typical fermentation products referred to in Article 3 of these Rules.

Diluted acetic acid may contain from 4% to 30% of acetic acid, whereby the percentage of acetic acid must be indicated on the packaging.
(1) Diluted acetic acid, suitable for consumption, is a product obtained by diluting acetic acid with drinking water and does not contain the typical fermentation products referred to in Article 3 of these Rules.

(2) Diluted acetic acid may contain from 4% to 30% of acetic acid, whereby the percentage of acetic acid must be indicated on the packaging.

III. TRANSITIONAL AND FINAL PROVISIONS


(Transitional period)

(1) The products that are placed on the market must be produced and labelled according to the provisions set by these Rules at the latest one year after the entry into force of these Rules.

(2) Notwithstanding the provision of the preceding paragraph, products produced and labelled in accordance with the Rules on the quality of vinegar and diluted acetic acid (UL RS Nos 2/04 and 45/08 – ZKme-1) before expiry of the deadline referred to in the preceding paragraph, may be marketed until depletion of stocks.
(1) The products that are placed on the market must be produced and labelled according to the provisions set by these Rules at the latest one year after the entry into force of these Rules.

(2) Notwithstanding the provision of the preceding paragraph, products produced and labelled in accordance with the Rules on the quality of vinegar and diluted acetic acid (UL RS Nos 2/04 and 45/08 – ZKme-1) before expiry of the deadline referred to in the preceding paragraph, may be marketed until depletion of stocks.

Article 17

(Expiry)

The provisions of the Rules on the quality of vinegar and diluted acetic acid (Official Gazette RS Nos 2/04 and 45/08 – ZKme-1) shall cease to apply on the date of entry into force of these Rules; however, they shall continue to be used for one year from the entry into force of these Rules.
The provisions of the Rules on the quality of vinegar and diluted acetic acid (Official Gazette RS Nos 2/04 and 45/08 – ZKme-1) shall cease to apply on the date of entry into force of these Rules;

Article 18


These Rules shall enter into force on the fifteenth day following their publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia.

No 007-7/2020/

Ljubljana, 2 July 2021

EVA 2020-2330-0037

Dr. Jože Podgoršek

Minister for Agriculture,

Forestry and Food

No 007-7/2020/

Ljubljana, 30 November 2020

EVA 2020-2330-0037
Minister

for agriculture, forestry and food