Brussels, 6th of October 2010. In view of the European Commission’s Communication on the future of the CAP after 2013 which will be published on November 17th, EFOW, the European Federation of Origin wines, calls for a strong and regulatory CAP that is respectful of the specificities of each sector.
EFOW considers that the sum allocated to the CAP after 2013 should be maintained at the same level as today least during the next financial programming period. The main objectives of the CAP must remain the production of quality food for consumers and the maintaining adequate incomes for farmers. As explained by EFOW’s President, Mr. Riccardo Ricci Curbastro, “the EU is the biggest producer, consumer and exporter of wines in the world and origin wines represent a significant part of the trade balance of many Member States. Our model fully meets the expectations of society and consumers: quality and traceability, preservation of biodiversity and development of local economies”.
EFOW wants the specificities of the European wine sector to be kept. For Mr. Ricci Curbastro “wine has a whole series of specific regulatory and budgetary provisions that must be preserved. Wine is the most regulated agricultural product. Its legislation covers labeling, oenological practices, marketing, promotion and many other areas and each Member State has a national envelope allocated by the single CMO. This allows a balanced development of our sector”.
Finally, EFOW believes that the CAP should provide answers to natural hazards as well as to high market volatility and it should prevent crisis that harm different sectors and the EU budget. In this regard, the President of EFOW insists that “the wine sector has a mechanism for regulating production since 1972 (planting rights) that will be abolished in 2015. The sudden disappearance of any production regulation may cause crises of overproduction, falling of prices and will challenge the qualitative efforts made by producers. We must avoid this scenario. Therefore we demand the establishment of production management instrument for the whole of the wine sector”.
EFOW hopes that the European Commission will take these considerations into account when drafting its Communication.
Contacts:
Daniela Ida ZANDONA’ (Bruxelles) : +322733 50 58
Pascal BOBILLIER-MONNOT (Paris): +33142612125
José Alfonso SIERRA SALINAS (Madrid): +34619665066
Pasquale DE MEO (Rome): +390644250589
Alberto RIBEIRO DE ALMEIDA (Porto): +351222071647
David BRASZIL (Budapest): +3614137527