Common organisation of the market in wine

Following trilateral meetings held by the Presidency, the Commission and delegates from the European Parliament, the Presidency informed the Council of its strategy of finding agreement on the reform of the wine sector.

Three major political points to be submitted to the Ministers in December include:

1. Planting rights scheme and, in particular, the date for terminating planting rights. The 1999 reform, for example, fixed the date for the abolition of planting rights at 2010. Under the terms of the proposed new reform proposal, this date would be revised to 2013.
2. National envelopes, given that they have to comply with the current Financial Perspective.
3. The possible retention of sugar enrichment (chaptalisation); the need to rethink the question of abolishing aid for concentrated must and the need to reconsider labelling conditions.

The Council also instructed the SCA to continue its discussion on certain issues which will require further attention if a compromise is to be reached. These issues relate to: (a) the grubbing-up scheme over a three-year instead of a five-year period (in particular the resulting budgetary aspects); (b) requirements concerning grape variety and the labelling of wines without a geographical indication or appellation of origin; (c) the role of interprofessional organisations in market management; and (d) how much room for manoeuvre Member States will be given concerning national envelopes. Also requiring further consideration is the possible addition of further measures to the "menu".