Facing the discontent of EU producers and under the pressure of wine producing Member States and the European Parliament, the Commission proposed at the third meeting of the High Level Group (HLG), on September 21st in Palermo (Sicily), a new system of management of wine plantings. This system based on the total freedom of planting wines without a geographical indication (WWGI) on the whole EU territory is rejected by EFOW. The method used by DG AGRI is also criticised. There are now less than two months for the Commission and the Member States to agree on a satisfactory solution.

At the 3rd meeting of the HLG on planting rights, the European Commission took a first step by proposing a new system of management of wine plantings. This system is based on the principle of freedom to plant rather than on regulation and proposes to differentiate the different types of wines. On the one hand, total freedom to plant WWGI in the EU; and on the other hand, freedom for groups in charge of PDO/PGI wines to regulate or not. “There would be nothing worse than to provide for a different treatment of PDO/PGI and WWGI. This makes no sense since the three types of wines are nowadays produced everywhere. The proposed solution would lead to an uncontrolled development of WWGI production and an industrialisation of the sector” declared Mr. Riccardo Ricci Curbastro, EFOW’s President, after the meeting.

EFOW also criticises DG AGRI for its lack of transparency. “We are surprised at the significant difference between the goodwill shown by the Commission during the meeting and the method it used to communicate about a solution which was not presented in detail during the HLG” said Riccardo Ricci Curbastro.

There are less than two months – the last meeting of the HLG will take place on November 23rd – for the Commission and Member States to agree on a satisfactory solution that will be inserted in the current reform of the CAP. EFOW recalls that wine producing Member States defend another wine planting management system which is based on the regulation of all wines. EFOW hopes that common sense will prevail and that Member States and the European Parliament will be finally heard. EFOW announces an event in the coming weeks with local elected representatives and other advocacy actions.

Contacts :

Daniela Ida ZANDONA’ : +32 2 733 50 58

Pascal BOBILLIER MONNOT : +33 426 12 125

Pasquale DE MEO: +39 06 44 250 589

José Luis LAPUENTE: +34 696 79 51 49

Alberto RIBEIRO DE ALMEIDA : +35 1 222 071 647

David BRAZSIL : +36 14 13 75 27

Planting rights: the first proposals of the Commission