Brussels, 23 July 2025 – The Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins (CEEV) welcomes yesterday’s Irish Government’s decision to postpone the implementation of its alcohol labelling regulation originally set to take effect in May 2026. The delay is seen as an important opportunity to re-align regulatory efforts with EU law and the principles of the Single Market.
“The deferral to 2028 of the Irish alcohol labelling regulation is undeniably good news for wine companies.” said Marzia Varvaglione, President of CEEV. “Introducing a unilateral and disproportionate health warning on all alcoholic beverages sold in Ireland would have imposed significant costs and administrative burdens, especially for small and medium-sized wine producers, while undermining the integrity of the EU Single Market and legal framework. Public health objectives must be pursued in a legally sound and coordinated way. Fragmentation only leads to confusion for consumers and unnecessary costs for producers,” she added.
The Irish regulation has faced sustained criticism from several EU Member States, 3rd countries and stakeholders across the wine sector and beyond.
CEEV raised formal objections to the measure two years ago in a complaint submitted to the European Commission, arguing that the national rule was contrary to the Union’s legal framework. The organisation is now calling once again for the Commission to intervene decisively to uphold the integrity of EU law.
“Something was wrong with the Irish measure from the beginning, it raised serious doubts regarding its justification, its proportionality, and its compatibility with EU legislation,” said Ignacio Sánchez Recarte, Secretary General of CEEV. “This pause shall be more than just a delay, it is a much-needed chance to rethink how we ensure consumers are well-informed, while also safeguarding the legal and economic coherence of the European market,” added Sánchez Recarte. “Wine producers and consumers deserve rules that are balanced, evidence-based, and applied consistently across the EU.”
The organisation also highlights that clear and harmonised labelling rules are essential for maintaining the competitiveness of Europe’s wine sector in an increasingly uncertain global trade environment.
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NOTE TO EDITORS
- Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins (CEEV – www.ceev.eu) represents the wine companies in the industry and trade in the European Union: still wines, aromatised wines, sparkling wines, liqueur wines and other vine products. It brings together 25 national organisations and its members produce and market the vast majority of quality European wines, with and without a geographical indication, and account for over 90% of European wine exports.
- Media contact: Dr Ignacio Sánchez Recarte, CEEV Secretary General, ceev@ceev.eu, Mobile: +32 (0)476 88 36 75