A few days ago, the AREV’s European Wine Trade Council (EWTC) met to discuss the many issues of concern to the wine sector and its European regions.
First, the Commission’s proposed regulation on the sustainable use of pesticides. If the AREV is against purely ideological objectives, on the other hand, the AREV is in favour of the development and support of new tools and concrete practices to reduce the use and the risks of using pesticides, starting with the development of precision agriculture and NGT.
The Taxonomy issue is likewise concerning. We have highlighted the critical aspects of the document published by the Platform on Sustainable Finance, in which there is no agricultural expert. We therefore ask the Commission to review the proposed criteria and to take more time to adopt the delegated act. We believe that the criteria for sustainable finance must be concrete and linked to reality to specifically help farms that want to continue and accelerate their ecological transition.
“We are aware that there is no turning back on the road to greater environmental sustainability and we want to participate in the ecological transition. It is in the winegrower’s best interest to keep the land fertile and alive for his successors. However, we ask the Commission to listen to the voice of territories and producers for a realistic and balanced approach, “said. Aly LEONARDY president of the CEPV.
Winegrowers are strong advocates of environmental preservation because their link to the land and biodiversity is their qualitative and therefore competitive and commercial strength. “There is no conflict between viticulture and the environment, but the voice of the producers must be heard,” said Aly LEONARDY, CEPV President.
Other topics were also discussed during the meeting:
AREV is also following with concern the reform of Geographical Indications and the important work that the European Parliament is carrying out to improve critical points such as the delegation of powers from DG AGRI to the EUIPO agency and the consequences of this reform of the management of GIs, which would jeopardize this formidable tool for the management of GIs that is the envy of the whole world.
As far as labelling and health warnings are concerned, the AREV recalls that a distinction must always be made between the use and abuse of alcohol, which is, among other things, the position of the European Parliament, and that wine has its own specificity which makes it unique, and which must continue to be valued. We recall that wineries, especially those located in rural areas, play a crucial role in supporting their communities.