Brussels, 24 January 2012. The Agriculture Committee of the European Parliament (COMAGRI) voted yesterday the various reports of the CAP reform, including the report of Mr Dantin (FR, EPP) on the single CMO. MEPs adopted by a large majority Mr Dantin’s amendment proposing to maintain the current planting rights regime. EFOW, the European Federation of Origin Wines, welcomes this strong vote in favour of regulation and calls on the Commission and the Council to improve the proposal of the High Level Group on planting rights.
The High Level Group (HLG) on planting rights, established by Commissioner Ciolos, concluded its work on 14 December and proposed to establish a new system of regulation for vine plantations. EFOW, as well as the majority of the sector’s organisations, welcomed this position but expressed some reservations about several important issues. In 2008 the European Parliament took position against the decision to liberalise vine plantations and yesterday it took once more a strong stance on this issue, calling for the maintenance of the current system until 2030. With this vote, the COMAGRI sends a signal to the Commission and the Council asking them to improve the proposal made by the HLG. Many MEPs consider that the outcomes of the HLG are encouraging but not entirely satisfactory. They are particularly concerned about the duration of the new system, the date of entry into force and the percentage of new plantations.
Discussions between the Parliament, the Commission and the Council will be accelerated by the plenary vote in March. EFOW’s President, Mr Riccardo Ricci Curbastro, welcomed yesterday’s the vote: “The European Commission has taken a big step forward last December by offering to maintain a system to control vine plantations. Unfortunately the proposed terms are not suitable, in particular the issue of the duration of the new system. It is inconsistent to emphasise the “absolute necessity to regulate all plantations” and then to propose a limited period of 6 years for the duration of the new instrument. We should remember that planting rights were supposed to disappear on 1 January 2016 or 1 January 2019 in Member States wishing to extend the system. This would mean that the new system would allow us to regulate the plantations until 1 January 2020, meaning one more year than what is allowed by the current system. It makes no sense and it would afterwards allow for a full liberalisation that we do not accept“. Other topics, such as the percentage setting, also remain to be determined. The French Senate adopted on the same day a resolution calling on the European Commission and the Council to improve their proposal (http://www.senat.fr/presse/cp20130123a.html).
Contacts:
Daniela Ida ZANDONA (Bruxelles) : +32472900396
Pascal BOBILLIER-MONNOT (Paris): +33610267473
Jesus MORA CAYETANO (Madrid): +34661586614
Pasquale DE MEO (Rome): +390644250589
Alberto RIBEIRO DE ALMEIDA (Porto): +351222071647
David BRASZIL (Budapest): +3614137527