EFOW, the European Federation of origin wines, welcomes the political compromise reached yesterday by Agriculture Ministers on the future of the CAP, but asks for a more ambitious final agreement on the issue of planting rights. The negotiating mandate of the Council is overall satisfactory and reflects in a considerable extent the conclusions of the High Level Group (HLG) on planting rights.
EFOW notes with satisfaction the evolution of the Council’s position on the entry into force (2019 instead of 2016) and on the functioning (definition of the new system’s objectives and criteria) of the new system. However, EFOW considers that it is contradictory, after that all Member States and the European Commission have recognised during the HLG the “absolute necessity to regulate all vine plantations“, that the duration of the new system is of only 6 years. EFOW is also reserved on setting at 1% the annual increase of new plantings and considers that a ceiling of 0.5% suits more appropriately the real needs of the sector.
EFOW’s President, Riccardo Ricci Curbastro, said: “It is essential that the new system which will be implemented be permanent or of a duration far more important than the one proposed today. This new instrument must enable us to grow in accordance with the markets on the long term. The Commission proposes that the new system should apply for a period of 6 years. Certainly, we have noted progresses in the Council which proposes an entry into force in 2019. Nevertheless, the liberalisation will still be implemented since its’ deadline has simply been postponed by 3 years. We ask for market regulation and for a lasting regulation. We hope that the European Parliament will be determined to support us on this issue “.