It’s the big day tomorrow. After years of negotiations and planning the European Union wine reform finally kicks in.
According to the EU it will “phase out wasteful and expensive market intervention measures and allow the budget to be used for more positive, proactive measures which will boost the competitiveness of European wines.â€
The reform will see a massive restructuring of the wine sector. It includes a voluntary, three-year grubbing-up scheme to provide an alternative for uncompetitive producers and to remove surplus wine from the market.
Subsidies for crisis distillation will be phased out and the money, allocated in national envelopes, can be used for measures like wine promotion on third country markets, restructuring and investment in modernisation of vineyards and cellars. However you may remember earlier this month in an article I have written for decanter.com, Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, said the uptake had been disappointing.
Today, Fischer Boel reiterated her views on the reform. “Member States and producers have a great opportunity to make the best use of the new wine regime to build on Europe’s international reputation for excellence. I truly believe this marks a turning point in our wine sector’s history. But I must urge Member States to show urgency in using the new funds, which are available. Money from the national envelopes must be used by 15th October, or else it will be lost.”
The reform will also simplify labelling rules.
The restrictive planting rights system will also be abolished at EU level from 1 January 2016 onwards, with the possibility for Member States to keep it until December 2018 if they wish.
