Brussels, 07/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 7 March, the EFOW (European Federation of Origin Wines) welcomed the fact that around 15 EU countries, particularly Bulgaria, had opposed the ending of vine plantation rights in 2016. In order to obtain qualified majority at the Council of Ministers of the EU, a further 40 votes would be required, explains this organisation. Some of the countries that abstained from voting are the United Kingdom, Ireland, Finland, Belgium and the Netherlands. Countries against the liberalisation of plantation rights include Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Austria, Romania, Luxembourg, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Greece, Slovenia and Bulgaria.
The question of liberalising plantation rights will be discussed in the high-level viticulture group, which was set up at the end of January by Dacian Ciolos, the European commissioner for agriculture (see EUROPE 10536 and 10537). (LC/transl.fl)