GI review : EFOW welcomes the vote of the AGRI committee

Brussels, 11 December 2023 – EFOW, the European Federation of Origin Wines (www.efow.eu), the Brussels-based organisation promoting and defending Geographical Indication (GI) wines, welcomes today’s vote in the European Parliament’s AGRI committee and the endorsement by the Special Committee of Agriculture (SCA) of 27 November on the revision of the EU’s Geographical Indication policy. EFOW supports the political agreement reached on 24 October and invites the EP Plenary and the AGRI Council of Ministers to endorse this reform.

The determination and commitment of the EP rapporteurs and the group of GI friends in the Council to uphold a strong GI policy have considerably improved the Commission’s initial legislative proposal. The reform now ensures the maintenance of the specificities of the wine sector via the “wine package”, a first definition of sustainability for GI products, the possibility of geo-blocking websites misusing GIs and rules on the recognition and powers of GI groups. The text also clearly defines the competencies of Member States and the European institutions with regards to the management of the GI system and the product specification. The political declaration annexed to the reform, will bind the EC to disclose on a yearly basis to the co-legislators the external support it may receive in administrative tasks.

EFOW’s President, Mr. Bernard Farges, explained: “as highlighted previously, the appellation wine sector did not ask for this reform. Nevertheless, we made a virtue out of necessity. We warmly thank the co-legislators for their recognition of the special role of viticulture within the GI system. Without their dedication and support one of the main building blocks of our wine policy would have been undone. We will monitor closely the application of this reform and invite the European Commission to a maximum of transparency to rebuild trust within the GI community”.