CAP REFORM: CEEV welcomes the outcome of the European Parliament vote – a good, but not perfect, legacy for the next EP

Brussels, 3 April 2019 – This week, the European Parliament voted on the CMO and CAP Strategic plans proposals put forward by the European Commission in the framework of the post-2020 CAP Reform. CEEV generally welcomes the outcome of the vote but hoped for more ambitious results on national support programmes and on the duration of authorization scheme for vine plantings.

The EU wine companies acknowledge the efforts made by Rapporteur MEPs Andrieu and Herranz Garcia as well as their shadow rapporteurs, and congratulate themselves on the following decisions supported by the EP:

• Maintenance of promotion measures under the national support programmes;
• Maintenance of status quo for wine grape varieties – only vitis vinifera and hybrids from vitis vinifera could be used to produce wine;
• Authorization to use hybrids to produce PDO wines, as is already the case for PGI wines;
• Introduction of provisions on nutritional declaration and list of ingredients for the wine sector in the CAP Reform;
• Creation of two new categories of wine products – de-alcoholised and partially de-alcoholised wines – even though they could not bear a PDO/PGI;
• Modernisation of the aromatised wine products legislation.

“We are particularly happy with the inclusion of provisions for the mandatory communication of wine energy and ingredients, as we have been asking for. We have nothing to hide, we just need an adapted system to communicate this information”, said Jean-Marie Barillère, President of CEEV.

On the downside, however, CEEV regrets that the vine planting authorization scheme has been extended until 2050, thereby dismissing the need for the sector to work together to improve the system by the previous 2030 deadline. EU wine companies also deplore that funds earmarked for investment, innovation and promotion measures for large companies have been reduced, which might seriously affect the research agenda of the wine sector, mainly nurtured by those large companies.

“I believe that the European Parliament has done a good job on this very difficult dossier. We will continue our advocacy at Council level for some adjustments and we hope that the next European Parliament will pursue its work on the basis of the efforts initiated by the current MEPs”, said Dr Ignacio Sánchez Recarte, Secretary General of CEEV.

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