Preliminary national procedure
Article 96
1. Applications for protection of a designation of origin or a geographical indication for wines originating in the Union shall be subject to a preliminary national procedure. 2. The application for protection shall be filed with the Member State in the territory of which the designation of origin or geographical indication originates. 3. The Member State with which the application for protection is filed shall examine it in order to verify whether it meets the conditions set out in this Subsection. That Member State shall carry out a national procedure ensuring adequate publication of the application and providing for a period of at least two months from the date of publication within which any natural or legal person having a legitimate interest and resident or established on its territory may object to the proposed protection by lodging a duly substantiated statement with that Member State. 4. If the Member State assessing the application considers that the designation of origin or the geographical indication does not comply with the conditions laid down in this Subsection or is incompatible with Union law, it shall reject the application. 5. If the Member State assessing the application considers that the requirements are fulfilled, it shall carry out a national procedure which ensures adequate publication of the product specification at least on the Internet and forward the application to the Commission.