Brussels, 17/12/2007 (Agence Europe) - After a full day's discussion without any major progress being made, the agriculture ministers of the EU member states resumed their negotiation on Tuesday 18 December with a view to reaching a political agreement on reform of the common market organisation (CMO) for wine. A first draft text was handed to member states during the morning of Monday 17 December. Most of the ministers, however, felt it was insufficient. The Portuguese EU Presidency and the European Commission then met member state delegations one by one to glean information needed to draft a second draft compromise. These “three-way” meetings lasted well into the evening.
Planting rights. At the end of 2013, we recall, the Commission plans to put an end to the system of planting rights for vines (liberalisation from these rights as of 1 January 2014). The Presidency's first compromise text reiterates the date of end 2013 for abolition of these rights, but authorises the maintenance of planting rights until end 2015 in some regions. France, in particular, as well as Germany, Romania and Austria do not want a date fixed in advance when it comes to ending these rights.
Chaptalisation. The Commission initially suggested a ban on chaptalisation (wine enrichment by the addition of sugar) to ensure outlets for grape must without the need for Community aid (since the use of grape must would become the only way to enrich wine). No fewer than twenty countries, including Germany and Austria, were strongly opposed to this proposal. The Presidency's first compromise text authorises wine enrichment with sugar but, on the other hand, has provisions for reducing the enrichment rates authorised. In Germany, for example, the enrichment rates would go from 3.5% at present to 3% in 2008/2009, then to 2.5% as of 2009/10. Member states could be authorised to increase their rates by one percentage point in the event of “exceptional climatic conditions”. Also, the text sets out the obligation to mention the method of enrichment (sugar or must) on wine labels. Many countries (including Germany, Austria, United Kingdom, Poland, Hungary, Denmark) felt that this enrichment labelling was discriminatory. Others denounced the fact that such a system (i.e. referring to weather conditions) would bring about excessive red tape.
National budgets. The Commission suggested the end of market measures, including distillation subsidies. The compromise text of the Portuguese Presidency authorises member states to provide aid for crisis distillation but only until the marketing year 2010/2011. This aid may not exceed 15% of the national member state envelope in 2008/2009, 10% in 2009/2010 and 5% in 2010/2011. France considers the compromise does not go far enough as it limits the aid in time. The compromise text leaves member states the possibility to pay (during a transitional three-year period) support to producers for by-product distillation. Furthermore, several new EU member states (including Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia) challenge the criteria selected (essentially historic references) for the breakdown of national envelopes.
The objective of grubbing in the EU has been brought to 175,000 hectares in three years (against 200,000 hectares in five years in the initial proposal). (L.C.)