(a) Certificates of label approval (COLAs). Subject to the requirements and exceptions set forth in the regulations in subpart B of this part, any brewer or wholesaler who bottles malt beverages, and any person who removes malt beverages in containers from customs custody for sale or any other commercial purpose, is required to first obtain from TTB a certificate of label approval (COLA) covering the label(s) on each container.
(b) Alteration, mutilation, destruction, obliteration, or removal of labels. Subject to the requirements and exceptions set forth in the regulations in subpart C of this part, it is unlawful to alter, mutilate, destroy, obliterate, or remove labels on malt beverage containers. This prohibition applies to any person, including retailers, holding malt beverages for sale in interstate or foreign commerce or any person holding malt beverages for sale after shipment in interstate or foreign commerce.
(c) Labeling requirements for malt beverages. Subject to the jurisdictional limits of the FAA Act, as set forth in § 7.4, it is unlawful for any person engaged in business as a brewer, wholesaler, or importer of malt beverages, directly or indirectly, or through an affiliate, to sell or ship, or deliver for sale or shipment, or otherwise introduce or receive in interstate or foreign commerce, or remove from customs custody, any malt beverages in containers unless such containers are marked, branded, labeled, and packaged in conformity with the regulations in this part.
(d) Labeled in accordance with this part. In order to be labeled in accordance with the regulations in this part, a container of malt beverages must be in compliance with the following requirements:
(1) It must bear one or more labels meeting the standards for “labels” set forth in subpart D of this part;
(2) One or more of the labels on the container must include the mandatory information set forth in subpart E of this part;
(3) Claims on any label, container, or packaging (as defined in § 7.81) must comply with the rules for restricted label statements, as applicable, set forth in subpart F of this part;
(4) Statements or any other representations on any malt beverage label, container, or packaging (as defined in §§ 7.101 and 7.121) may not violate the regulations in subparts G and H of this part regarding certain practices on labeling of malt beverages; and
(5) The class and type designation on any label, as well as any designation appearing on containers or packaging, must comply with the standards for classes and types set forth in subpart I of this part.