EU wine sector: MEPs and Council agree on new rules to support producers 

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• More funds for winegrowers to adjust their production to market developments 
• Wine with less than 0.05% alcohol to be labelled “alcohol-free”, and with 0.5% or more ”alcohol reduced” 
• More support for wine tourism and exports 

On Thursday, MEPs and Council reached a provisional deal on a new ‘wine package’, addressing challenges that wine producers face and unlocking market opportunities.

The negotiators agreed to ease and clarify the rules on de-alcoholised wines. The term “alcohol-free” accompanied by the expression “0.0%” could be used if the strength of the product does not exceed 0.05% volume. Products whose strength is equal to or above 0.5% volume and that are at least 30% below the alcoholic strength of the category of wine before de-alcoholisation should be labelled as “alcohol reduced”, the deal says.

More funds and flexibility for wine producers

In cases of severe natural disasters, weather events, plant disease outbreaks or the presence of a plant pest, winegrowers will have an additional year to plant or replant affected vines of wine grape varieties

Negotiators agreed to use EU funds for grubbing up. Thanks to MEPs, the national payment ceiling for wine distillation and green harvesting will be set at 25% of global available funds per member state.

Wine tourism and promotion for export

Producer organisations managing protected designations of origin and protected geographical indication initiatives will get additional support to promote wine tourism, MEPs and Council agreed. Finally, the new rules will allow for better EU funding of promotional campaigns for quality European wines in third countries. Thanks to Parliament’s negotiators, the EU will support up to 60% while Member states can add up to 30% for small and medium enterprises and 20% for bigger companies.in order to cover the cost of information and promotional measures, such as advertising, events, exhibitions and studies. The costs and promotion plan could be financed for three years, renewable twice by the same period for a total of nine years.

Quote

Rapporteur Esther Herranz García (EPP, Spain) said: “We are providing the sector with tools to tackle the profound crisis it is experiencing. These include measures to regulate supply in line with demand, such as the option of financing crisis measures, such as grubbing-up, with European funds, thereby ensuring equal opportunities for wine growers in the different Member States. We are also offering higher co-financing rates for measures for adapting to climate change. Finally, we have improved conditions for promotion outside the EU, which will allow for more stable and better targeted campaigns, and enhanced the conditions for wine tourism and the opportunities for diversification that it offers.”

Next steps

The provisional agreement needs to be approved by both Parliament and Council before the new rules can enter into force.