On Thursday 4 December, the Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on a package of measures to support the wine sector, which is currently experiencing difficulties.
Esther Herranz García (EPP, Spanish), the European Parliament’s rapporteur on this file, felt that, thanks to the agreement reached, “we are providing the sector with the tools it needs to face up to the profound crisis it is currently experiencing”. This includes measures to regulate supply in line with demand, such as the possibility of financing crisis measures like grubbing up using European funds. Higher co-financing rates for measures to adapt to climate change are also planned, said the MEP (see EUROPE 13746/9).
Market measures. Member States will be able to support actions such as grubbing up excess vines to avoid overproduction and maintain market stability, while supporting innovation and adaptation to new conditions. The end date for the planting rights scheme has been removed and replaced by a revision period (within 10 years).
In cases of severe natural disasters, climatic events, plant disease outbreaks or the presence of a harmful organism, winegrowers will have an additional year to plant or replant affected vines. The negotiators also agreed to authorise the use of European funds to grub up vines. In addition, the national payment ceiling for wine distillation and ‘green harvesting’ will be set at 25% of available funds per Member State.
Member States will be able to increase EU support for climate-related investments - both mitigation and adaptation - up to 80% of eligible costs, enabling a faster shift towards sustainable production.
Low-alcohol wines. Consumers will have access to clearer information, thanks in particular to digital labels and pictograms. The term ‘alcohol-free’ will apply to products containing less than 0.5% alcohol, while ‘0.0%’ will be used for those containing less than 0.05%. For wines with a reduced alcohol content (above 0.5%, but at least 30% lower than the standard content), the designation ‘reduced alcohol content’ will be used, replacing the previously envisaged term ‘alcohol-light’ in alcohol.
Wine producers will be able to receive targeted support to develop wine tourism initiatives, thereby stimulating economic growth in rural areas.
Wines destined for export will be exempt from the requirement to list ingredients and provide a nutrition declaration for the EU internal market, thereby reducing unnecessary administrative burden.
Focused actions against diseases such as flavescence dorée - including monitoring, diagnostics, training and research - will receive additional support, addressing this major threat to vineyards.
The agreement also clarifies that rosé wine may be used as a base for the production of regional aromatised drinks, widening the scope for the development of new products.
The provisional agreement still has to be approved by the Council and the European Parliament before it can be formally adopted and enter into force. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)