Brussels, 12th February 2015 – The European Commission requested a study to be carried out by independent consulting company COGEA, with the aim of assessing the current status of European still wines’ competitiveness and identifying relevant avenues for improvement to the horizon 2025. The conclusions of the study were released a few weeks ago and presented on 10th February to the wine filière’s stakeholders during a meeting of the European Commission’s Civil Dialogue Group on Wine.
As a starting point, the study records a decrease of EU wines’ competitiveness compared to Third Countries. The decline of the EU vineyard, together with the consequent dwindling of EU wine production and the unfavourable position of the EU compared to third countries, which develop bilateral agreements offering lower tariffs and better market access, result in a significant decrease of European wines’ market shares.
A better adaptation of EU wines to the markets could significantly improve the competitiveness and facilitate the market shares progress. EU wines need to be competitive on all segments of the market including lower ranges. At entry level, the most influencing factors on competitiveness are the bargaining power of wine companies, and their capacity to offer price stability.
Investment, promotion and reconversion are positive – but nonetheless insufficient – measures towards increasing the competitiveness of EU wines. Dynamic and more market-oriented measures should be the core for the support measures of the “wine CMO” to have a stronger and better structured wine filière.
In a global context of decrease of the domestic EU consumption but growth of the worldwide market of wine, development of exports is the sine qua non condition for maintaining a dynamic and offensive EU wine sector. Developing a market intelligence system and facilitating market access by concluding favourable bilateral agreements (with a special focus on tariffs) are key issues.
“We welcome this study as an interesting and balanced starting point for discussion and reflexion over the next years on how to improve the EU wines’ competitiveness. Analysis shows a significant decrease of EU competitiveness and market shares, particularly at entry level.” said Jean-Marie Barillère, President of CEEV. “We are looking forward to taking up the challenge over the years to come, and will be an active partner to develop EU exports and to restore, in all segments, the competitiveness that European wines deserve.”
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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 26 national organisations. With more than 7.000 companies, mainly SMEs, and more than 200.000 direct jobs in the EU, 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.
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 26 national organisations. With more than 7.000 companies, mainly SMEs, and more than 200.000 direct jobs in the EU, 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.
With around € 8,9 billion worth of exports every year, the EU wine sector makes a contribution of over € 6,4 billion to the EU trade balance
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