Brussels, 20/01/2012 (Agence Europe) - Dacian Ciolos, European Agriculture Commissioner, announced in Berlin on Thursday 19 January that a high level group would be set up to deal with the issue of planting rights in the wine sector. Such restrictive planting rights are, in theory, to be withdrawn as of 1st January 2016 but 13 member states are opposed to the liberalisation of planting rights.
In the wine sector, Ciolos said during the official opening of the Berlin “Green Week”, that it is now necessary to take time to reflect on fears aroused by decisions recently taken by member states. By this, he means that debates must be held, during which arguments will be put forward on the concern of maintaining the quality and excellence of the EU's wine sector. He hopes to give a real perspective to the debates with the speedy establishment of a high level group.
The group will, in particular, discuss the future of planting rights, Ciolos said, before going on to add that, whether in the wine or any other sector, no agriculture system in the world is better placed than that of the European Union to raise the challenges of the 21st century. The countries that have already expressed opposition to planting rights liberalisation are: Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Austria, Romania, Luxembourg, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Greece. (LC/transl.jl)