Brussels, 10/11/2008 (Agence Europe) - On 5 November, AREV, the Assembly of European Wine Regions, (http://www.arev.org ) adopted a declaration in which it set its face against the European Commission proposal to bring the wine sector into the common organisation of agricultural markets (CMO). Seventy regions from 16 European states are currently members of AREV.
The International Bureau of AREV has reaffirmed its opposition to the wine CMO becoming part of the CMO for all agricultural sectors. AREV fears a loss of clarity in European wine market regulations. “The wine CMO rules must be kept fully separate, and its articles must not be dispersed across several chapters as the European Commission is proposing”.
Control of production potential. AREV has come out several times against abandonment of the system of planting rights in the EU. After once, again discussing the matter at some length, the Bureau of AREV repeated that ceding control of production potential would, in many regions of Europe, inevitably lead to the appearance of “agri-industrial production groups” which run counter to efforts to promote quality and protect countryside fashioned by man. To protect small and medium-sized farms from competition from “real wine industries”, the Bureau of AREV said that, in the 2012-2013 evaluation report, the economic, social and environmental impact of the reform had to be considered. The Bureau of AREV would prefer to see the current system kept in place beyond 2015.
Minimum quality criteria. The Bureau of AREV is concerned that wines from a single variety of grapes with no geographical indication might not be subject to any minimum quality criteria. It called for a quality policy to be put in place for this type of wine in every member state.
Certification Procedure. For wines with a geographical indication, professional groups will have the possibility of asking the Commission to certify new designations and to adjust product specifications. The Bureau of AREV has called for the certification procedure to be first and foremost a matter for the local and national administrations which have hitherto been responsible for it.
Member states must not be replaced in OIV. The European Commission has called on the Council to authorise it to carry out negotiations with a view to full accession to the International Wine and Vine Organisation (OIV), where it would replace member states in those areas in which responsibility has been transferred to the EU (planting, wine-making and labelling). The Bureau of AREV is very much against EU member states losing out to the Commission in discussion on technical issues in these areas within the OIV. It would not, however, be against the European Commission having the status of observer. (L.C./transl.rt)