A preliminary agreement has been reached that will need formal adoption by co-legislators regarding the new ‘viticulture package,’ which addresses challenges faced by wine producers and opens new market opportunities.
The new regulations provide more funds for wine growers to adjust their production to market changes and clarify rules regarding alcohol-free wines.
The term ‘alcohol-free,’ accompanied by the expression ‘0.0,’ can be used if the product’s alcohol content does not exceed 0.05% by volume.
Products with an alcohol content equal to or above 0.5% by volume, which are at least 30% lower than the alcohol content of the wine category before dealcoholization, must be labeled as “reduced alcohol content,” according to the agreement.
In cases of severe natural disasters, weather events, plant disease outbreaks, or pest presence, wine growers will have an additional year to plant or replant vineyards affected by these issues.
Negotiators agreed to use EU funds for vineyard uprooting.
The national ceiling for payments for wine distillation and green harvest will be set at 25% of the total available funds per Member State.
Producer organizations managing initiatives for protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications will receive additional support to promote wine tourism, as agreed by MEPs and Member States.
Finally, the new rules will allow better EU funding for promotional campaigns of high-quality European wines in third countries.
Moreover, the EU will support up to 60%, while Member States may add up to 30% for small and medium-sized enterprises and 20% for larger companies to cover information and promotion measures, such as advertising, events, exhibitions, and studies.
The costs and the promotion plan can be financed for a period of three years, renewable twice for the same period, making a total of nine years.
