Brussels, 15/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - Last week, EU27 experts began negotiating the system for allowing new vineyards to be planted, particularly the date when the measure will come into force, how long it will last and caps on increases in existing vineyards. The Irish Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers will be publishing a new draft compromise.
On 4 and 5 March, the Irish Presidency gave the Special Committee on Agriculture a draft compromise, based on conclusions reached in December by a high-ranking expert group, which would introduce the new vineyard authorisation system in January 2016, replacing the current plantation rights system. The Presidency suggested that the system should last for six years, until the end of 2021 and the cap should be set at 1%, with member states having the option of introducing a lower safeguard level at regional or national level. The authorisations would last for three years and would not be transferable (fines would apply if they are not used).
Safeguard mecanism
The European Commission is recommending a 2% safeguard level and wants the new system to be in place on 1 January 2016. France is preparing a joint note on the subject with Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal, and says 2% is too high a threshold (it wants 0.5%). France says that the system should come into force on 1 January 2019, current legislation allowing member states to extend the system of plantation rights until 31 December 2018. Paris says that greater flexibility is needed for organising the new system and deciding on the role of professional bodies and cooperatives at national level. The so-called liberal consumer countries want a definite end date to be set for the authorisation scheme. (LC/transl.fl)