The European Commission’s proposal contains appropriate measures, but the European Parliament wants to go further to help the wine sector overcome the current crisis, said the members of the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee on Monday 30 June.
The Commission’s proposal on measures to support the wine sector in Europe dates back to last March. On 19 June, the EU Member States approved the negotiating mandate for the EU Council, which will be able to begin discussions with the European Parliament once it has adopted its position (see EUROPE 13663/12).
Among the improvements to be made to the Commission’s initial proposal, Esther Herranz García (EPP, Spanish), the rapporteur on the dossier, mentioned options for financing by European funds, more extensive crisis measures and the possibility of transferring unused European funds from one year to the next in the event of a crisis. She also advocates the introduction of very clear conditions for the rapid implementation of electronic labelling. In addition she proposes to simplify labelling standards for wines intended for export to third countries and to increase co-financing of wine promotion measures to 80%. She recommends an automatic one-year extension of planting authorisations in cases of force majeure.
The amendments also specify that Member States will be authorised to include ‘green harvesting’ measures (i.e. the early removal of bunches of grapes to improve harvest quality) in their strategic plans. EU countries will also be able to include grubbing-up and distillation in their voluntary crisis measures, to ensure a level playing field for producers and Member States alike.
In order to better support winegrowers in the face of climate change - for both mitigation and adaptation - an amendment provides for Member States to be allowed to increase EU financial aid up to 80% for investments and for the restructuring and conversion of vineyards pursuing this objective.
Éric Sargiacomo (S&D, French) stressed the need to “reduce production potential” through grubbing-up measures. He also plans to table amendments concerning “prohibited grape varieties” (Clinton, Othello, Isabelle, etc.), an issue common to France, Italy, Austria and Romania.
The amendments will be analysed and negotiated within the committee after the summer break.
Link to the draft report (in French): https://aeur.eu/f/hmr (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)