Luxembourg, 25/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - In Luxembourg on Wednesday 25 October, the agriculture ministers of the Member States of the EU concluded their debate on the communication of the Commission of 22 June recommending a "fundamental" reform of the common market organisation (CMO) for wine, tackling subjects related to the quality of production (geographic indications, labelling and wine-making practices). The Member States will resume their work on this dossier in Spring 2007, further to the opinion of the European Parliament which is expected for March and, a few months later, the legislative proposal of the Commission.
During the debate on quality, the vast majority of the Member States opposed the authorisation to import musts originating from third countries and mixing Community wines with foreign wines. Furthermore, some 10 countries (Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Hungary and the Czech Republic) reiterated their rejection of the Commission's proposal to ban the use of sugar to enrich wine (chaptalization). Several countries called for a modification or simplification to the rules for the labelling of wines.
Although there is a "general agreement on the need for an in-depth reform of the sector, the Member States differ on the details of this reform", Finnish Minister Juha Korkeaoja, who presented the oral conclusions of the Council's discussions, summed up the situation at a press conference. The Commission acknowledged that vine destruction "does not enjoy unanimous support" and that "all Member States are opposed to the importation of must" from third countries, acknowledged Ms Fischer Boel. "I get the feeling that nobody is talking about the (initial) proposal of the Commission any more", said French minister Dominique Bussereau, who added that "the Commission has watered down its wine". (lc)