Brussels, 27th September 2014 – During the EU/Canada summit, the President of the European Commission and the Canadian Prime-Minister confirmed the conclusion of the CETA negotiations.
While the 2004 “wine agreement” represented a positive step for the development of the wine trade between the EU and Canada, but some trade irritants remained for EU wines, in particular linked to discriminatory practices by provincial monopolies (“Liquor Boards”).
The CETA consolidates the achievements of the 2004 wine agreement, including the full reciprocal protection of all the geographical indications of wines from both sides. CETA will now facilitate a fairer access to the Canadian market for the European wines by providing more effective tools to prevent and tackle unjustified barriers or discriminatory practices in particular by Liquor Boards, including the application of the dispute settlement provisions in CETA.
“Canada is a traditional and important market for EU wines. With this agreement, the perspectives are reinforced and the European exporters will now benefit from a clear and fair framework.” declared Jean-Marie Barillère, President of CEEV. “In the global economic context, free trade agreements (FTAs) are strategic to ensure the better market access conditions for EU wines. We hope that similar positive results improving trade relations could be obtained through other FTAs.”
CEEV now expects a quick entry into force of the CETA and urges the European Commission to ensure full respect and implementation of this agreement, in particular for Liquor Boards activities. This is the condition to obtain the full benefit expected for our exports’ development.
Canada is the 4th extra-EU market for EU wines, with 768 M€ in 2013 and a growth by 27% from 2007.
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About the Canadian wine market
Canada is the 4th extra-EU market for EU wines, with 768 M€ in 2013 and a growth by 27% from 2007: Evolution of EU exports to Canada (M€, source GTA)
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| 585,0 | 524,9 | 632,1 | 687,8 | 768,3 | 768,7 |
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 24 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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