First, it authorizes provincial liquor boards and vintners to possess a still or similar equipment, for the purpose of analyzing substances containing ethyl alcohol without holding a spirits licence.

7. Article 100(2)(c) is replaced by the following: "(c) In the case of alcohol awarded for a new industrial use and under public sales for the use of bio-ethanol in the motor-fuel sector in the Community which must be rectified prior to utilisation for the end use specified, the alcohol removed shall be deemed to have been used entirely for the purpose specified where at least 90 % of the total quantities of alcohol removed under an invitation to tender or a public sale is used for that purpose; the successful tenderer or the approved firm that has agreed to purchase the alcohol shall inform the ...[+++]Commission and the intervention agency of the quantity, destination and use of the products which have undergone rectification.

For logistic reasons in particular, the intervention agencies holding the vats of alcohol indicated in the communication from the Member States referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article may replace the alcohol concerned with other alcohol of the same type, provided the Commission agrees, or mix it with other alcohol delivered to the intervention agency, until a removal order is issued for the alcohol concerned.

4. If a successful tenderer or approved firm finds, before the date set in Article 92, Article 85, Article 91 or Article 94 of this Regulation for removal of the lot of alcohol concerned, that a quantity of alcohol awarded is unsuitable for the uses planned owing to hidden defects that by their nature could not be discovered at the time when it was possible for a check to be made before the alcohol was awarded, the Commission may indicate a repl ...[+++]acement quantity, in agreement with the relevant intervention agency, provided the latter confirms the tenderer's finding.

(c) In the case of alcohol awarded for a new industrial use which must be rectified prior to the final use intended, the alcohol removed shall be deemed to have been used entirely for the specified purpose where at least 90 % of the total quantities of alcohol removed under a tendering procedure is used for those purposes; the successful tenderer shall inform the Commission of the quantity, destination and use of the products rectified.

The problem for small-scale producers is that they simply cannot afford to sell through provincial liquor jurisdiction monopolies; the costs of doing so amounts to what is in effect a 50 to 60 per cent commission, depending on the province. In other words, half of your entire production is sacrificed just to sell through the LCBO.