On Friday 5 December, EU agricultural organisations and cooperatives (Copa-Cogeca) welcomed the agreement between EU institutions that will provide relief to the European wine sector (see EUROPE 13766/9).
They welcome the possibility of using European funds for grubbing-up, the extension of promotional activities and improved co-financing for climate change adaptation. The new designation ‘reduced alcohol’ for de-alcoholised wines is welcome. Copa-Cogeca notes with regret two major shortcomings: the fact that unused funds cannot be carried over from one year to the next, and that cooperatives are excluded from the highest level of co-financing.
The Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins [European Committee of Wine Businesses] (CEEV) reiterates its firm opposition to using European funds for grubbing-up, even with the planned restriction. It regrets the approach taken to partially de-alcoholised wines, including the “undesirable” creation of “a legal loophole” for products above 6% vol.
The Farm Europe think-tank sees this agreement as “a positive result of structured collaboration between EU institutions, producers, and industry stakeholders”.
“The EU Council, with Italy at the forefront, has blocked the reintroduction of so-called banned varieties (Clinton, Noah, etc.) - this is a short-sighted decision, which postpones to future reforms the possibility of promoting traditional grape varieties that are more resistant to disease and climatic stress”, according to MEP Cristina Guarda (Greens/EFA, Italian). Éric Sargiacomo (S&D, French) welcomed an agreement that offers new tools for regulating the market, while also criticising the EU Council’s refusal to legalise banned grape varieties. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)