,"On 30 July 2025, Türkiye notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) of a revised regulation governing spirit drinks under reference G/SPS/N/TUR/69/Rev.1. The notification was issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry – General Directorate of Food and Control. The proposed Turkish Food Codex Communiqué on Spirit Drinks establishes updated procedures and principles for the preparation, processing, production, storage, transportation, preservation, and marketing of distilled spirit drinks. It also defines the characteristics of spirit drinks in line with international practices. Scope -Applies to all categories of distilled spirit drinks, covering both domestic production and imports. Food Safety Objective-Ensures that spirit drinks are manufactured under safe, hygienic, and standardized conditions, aligning national practices with international benchmarks. Reference to EU Regulation-The draft Communiqué refers to Regulation (EU) 2019/787, which sets definitions, descriptions, presentation, labelling, and geographical indication (GI) protection for spirit drinks within the EU. This harmonization is expected to facilitate trade between Türkiye and the EU while strengthening consumer protection.Transitional Provisions for Industry adoption and entry into Force: 13 November 2025 (upon publication in the Official Gazette). Compliance Period for Existing Businesses: Food business operators active before the publication date must comply with the new Communiqué by 30 June 2026. Market Placement Transition: Products already placed on the market, or imports cleared before publication, may remain available until 31 December 2027."
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