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1. A producer group of a product the name of which is a registered geographical indication may apply for the approval of an amendment to the product specification. Where a recognised producer group exists, that group shall be the only one entitled to apply.

2. Amendments to a product specification shall be classified into two categories:

(a) Union amendments, requiring an opposition procedure at Union level; and (b) standard amendments to be dealt with at Member State or third country level.

3. An amendment shall be considered as a Union amendment if it entails a change of the single document or its equivalent and:

(a) includes a change:

(i) for agricultural products, in the name or in the use of the name;

(ii) for wine, in the name or in the use of the name, or in the category of product or products designated by the geographical indication;

(iii) for spirit drinks, in the name or any part of the name or in the use of the name, or in the category of product or products designated by the geographical indication, or in the legal name; or (b) risks voiding the link to the geographical area referred to in the single document; or (c) entails further restrictions on the marketing of the product. The criteria referred to in points (a), (b) and (c) shall be verified by Member States.

4. Any other amendment to a product specification of a registered geographical indication, that is not a Union amendment in accordance with paragraph 3, shall be considered as a standard amendment.

5. A standard amendment shall be considered as a temporary amendment when it concerns a temporary change in the product specification resulting from the imposition of obligatory sanitary and phytosanitary measures by the public authorities or a temporary amendment necessary because of a natural disaster or adverse weather conditions, or significant market disturbances due to exceptional circumstances, including geopolitical events, affecting the supply of raw materials, provided that the natural disaster, adverse weather conditions or significant market disturbances are formally recognised by the competent authorities.

6. Union amendments shall be approved by the Commission. The approval procedure shall follow, mutatis mutandis, the procedure laid down in Articles 9 and 10 and Articles 12 to 21.

7. Applications for Union amendments originating from outside the Union shall contain proof that the requested amendment complies with laws on the protection of geographical indications in force in that third country.

8. If an application for a Union amendment to the product specification of a registered geographical indication also includes standard amendments or temporary amendments, the Commission shall examine the Union amendment only. Any standard amendments or temporary amendments shall be deemed as not having been submitted. The examination of such applications shall focus on the proposed Union amendments. Where appropriate, the Commission or the Member State concerned may invite the applicant to modify other elements of the product specification.

9. Standard amendments shall be assessed and approved by Member States or third countries in whose territory the geographical area of the product concerned is located and communicated to the Commission. The Commission shall make those amendments public.

10. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 87 supplementing this Regulation by laying down provisions on Union amendments to product specifications of geographical indications for which no single document was published, on admissibility of applications for Union amendments, on the relationship between Union and standard amendments, and on standard amendments, including their publication.

11. The Commission shall, by means of implementing acts, lay down detailed rules on procedures, the form and presentation of an application for a Union amendment and on procedures, the form and communication of standard amendments to the Commission. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 88(2).