•EU wine sector

Composed at 99% by micro-, small- and medium-size companies located in rural areas, the EU wine sector plays a key role in the economic, social and environmental sustainability of European regions by providing employment to millions of people and ensuring the sustainability of rural societies through employment that is often more specialised and better paid than in other agricultural sectors.

But the socioeconomic dimension of the wine sector goes well beyond that, as it also generates economic activity in sectors that are directly or indirectly linked to the wine production itself, such as the production of oak cask (around 25% of EU wines are aged in oak casks), grapevine nursery, packaging glass, cork, oenological products and agricultural machinery.

The positive impact of the wine sector is not limited to wine-producing countries only, but also extends to non-producing countries, through activities further down the wine value chain (transport, logistics, marketing and sales).

The wine sector contributes to the sustainability of the EU environment, in many ways. Vineyards ensure human presence in vulnerable rural areas with little or no other economic prospect. Vines planted on hillsides help limiting soil erosion and provide fire protection thanks to the low density of their rootstocks, which prevents fire from spreading.

The European Landscape Convention acknowledges the particular relevance of vineyards in terms of adding value to landscapes and contributing to their preservation. Also, based on the European Landscape Convention’s provisions regarding the protection, management and planning of landscapes, numerous studies have been carried out to highlight the value of vine-planted areas and promote vineyard landscapes as a label of quality tourism.