Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-12-11-Speech-2-055"
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"en.20071211.7.2-055"2
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"The European Union is a wine producer of global importance. By producing high quality wines it has secured a dominant position on the world market. However, as a result of globalisation, European wine production is facing the threat of cheap wine imports from the US, South America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
Cheaper wines from third countries may bring joy to European consumers, but they are a headache for European producers. Due to their higher production costs, European wine producers will struggle in a fully open market and that is why we need to reform our wine sector.
EUR 1.3 billion is allocated to the wine sector in the EU budget. We must use that money to take positive steps towards increasing the quality and attractiveness of our wines as well as for research and development of this sector.
Wine-growing in Slovakia has a long history and it has always been, and still is today, a difficult business. As wine merchants put pressure on producers to lower their prices, they in turn cannot afford to pay the growers adequate prices for their grapes. There is a legitimate fear that in their struggle for survival the wine growers will be lured by subsidies into destroying their vineyards. The danger is that vineyards will be destroyed in areas where no surplus wine is being produced.
To try and limit the grubbing-up to the South of Europe, where there are surpluses and they are being dealt with by subsidised crisis distillation, would be politically unfeasible, as would simply banning sugaring in the north of Europe. In Slovakia, as in Germany and also in Austria, there is a very long tradition of wine enrichment with sugar.
I would like to express my appreciation to the rapporteur, Mr Castiglione, who has taken such a balanced approach to a topic as emotive as wine. He has managed to negotiate a viable compromise, which takes into account all the different aspects of the wine sector. Above all he endeavours to reconcile the interests of all the producers, North and South. Only a good reform of the wine sector can help preserve the best wine-making traditions in the EU, strengthen social structures, and enhance the quality and attractiveness of our countryside, while protecting the environment. I am sure visitors to all the various wine-growing regions of Europe will appreciate and enjoy sampling the characteristic wines produced from locally-grown grapes."@en1
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