Brussels, 14/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - French Agriculture Minister Bruno Le Maire confirmed on Wednesday 14 April that France was opposed to the European policy aimed at liberalising vineyard plantation rights and that he would do a round trip of member states with a view to a common position on regulating the wine-growing sector.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke out against this liberalisation of vineyard plantation rights, Bruno Le Maire pointed out, going on to say: “We convinced Hungary, Italy and Austria to join us on this stance some days ago, and I shall continue to tour the European countries”.
Liberalisation of vineyard plantation rights in Europe would, says Le Maire, bring about an “increase of around 30% in cultivated agricultural surface area”, as well as an “immediate fall in quality”, over-production, a collapse of prices and the “ruin of thousands of wine-growers in France and throughout Europe”. “This decision of liberalisation is not the right one and we shall make the Commission come back to the matter”, he added. He pointed out that it was the “quality of our wines” that was at stake, insisting that this was not simply a commercial issue. According to the decisions taken on reform of the common market organisation (CMO) for wine, the plantation rights regime will be abolished at EU level as of 1 January 2016, with the possibility for member states that so wish to keep it in place until December 2018. The Commission is expected to submit a report by end 2012 at the latest on application of the reform. (L.C./transl.jl)