EU agricultural cooperatives and organisations (Copa-Cogeca) asked the European Commission on Friday 24 April for additional measures to help the wine sector overcome the crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Several MEPs and professional organisations have already stepped up to lament the lack of support for this sector (see EUROPE 12473/10).
In a letter to the Commission, Copa-Cogeca asks for an ad hoc EU budget from sources other than agricultural funds, and therefore distinct from the funds of the national support programmes that the EU allocates to Member States in the wine sector.
In addition to measures such as voluntary crisis distillation, activation of private storage and ‘green harvesting’, Copa-Cogeca suggests “additional measures that don’t require an additional European budget but are equally relevant and in certain cases even more urgent”.
These measures include authorisations for planting, flexibility regarding the implementation of measures in the national support programme and other promotion measures.
Wine consumption is “seriously affected” by the closure of hotels, restaurants and bars, according to the letter sent. Restrictions imposed to combat COVID-19 are also strongly affecting exports, which are expected to fall by 14% compared to last year.
Link to the Copa-Cogeca newsletter: https://bit.ly/2VWy2bo (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)