Brussels, 15/02/2000 (Agence Europe) - "We have found ways to allow us to come to a solution with South Africa": it was in such terms that President Gama presented the "very constructive" work that the General Affairs Council devoted on Monday, in the light of the negotiations conducted by the Commission with South African authorities between 10 and 13 February, to the problem of protecting EU denominations in the wines and spirits sectors and to the final solutions that could be adopted. In the light of these guidelines, the question of continued provisional application of the comprehensive agreement concluded with Pretoria was also discussed by ministers. After this debate, the Council reached an agreement on the elements that the Presidency and the Commission would submit to the South African authorities in order to smooth out the remaining difficulties. "We have been able to reach clear consensus and overcome the last obstacles", commented Jaime Gama, who simply said that the EU's attitude as far as grappa and ouzo was concerned was "similar, parallel" to that which it had adopted on sherry and porto.