Planting rights: Commissioner Ciolos set up a High Level Group

The European Commissioner for agriculture Dacian Ciolos announced, on 19th January 2012, in Berlin, the setting-up of a High Level Group on the wine sector, and in particular the future of the planting rights. In 2008, the European Union took the decision to authorise anyone to plant vine anywhere in the European Union, from 2016. This liberalisation of the planting rights caused an outcry amongst the winemakers and European MEPs since several months. Thirteen Member States, representing 97% of the European production of wine, and the European Parliament, ask the Commission to propose a legislative text to change this decision. Commissioner Ciolos announced on Thursday 19th January in Berlin the setting-up of a High Level Group on the wine sector, and in particular the future of the planting rights. This initiative takes place in the framework of a progress report on the implementation of the last reform of the wine sector which the Commission will publish before the end of 2012. The European producers of origin wine members of EFOW welcome this initiative. “The setting-up of a High Level Group testifies that the Commissioner takes into account the seriousness of the situation and the heavy consequences of the deregulation of the sector. It is the first step of the Commission and we welcome it”, explained Riccardo Ricci Curbastro, President of EFOW. The decisions must be taken in the framework of the reform of the CAP, that is to say before the end of 2012. It is the wish of numerous Member States and European MEPs because the reform of the CAP is the only agriculture text on the agenda. For Bernard Farges, Vice-president of EFOW and President of the CNAOC “There is a need for reflection, but also for decision, and quick decision! When we are speaking about planting rights, we are speaking of the survival of our sector, of the economy of numerous regions, of the maintaining of family farms and of land use planning. We are waiting for concrete decisions on the short term, that is to say before the end of 2012 in the framework of the reform of the CAP.”