Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-02-13-Speech-2-244"
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".
Commissioner, Mrs Batzeli, ladies and gentlemen, the European Union's wine-growing sector represents an extremely important economic activity, particularly in terms of exports. The European Union is the world's premier vineyard. Global wine consumption is on the increase, and yet the European wine sector is in crisis: it is a very paradoxical situation.
We here in Parliament have been working passionately on the outline of a reform of the common organisation of the market in wine. Wine producers are using their know-how to keep traditions going in modern viticulture. These men and women are passionate about their work, and it is our responsibility to be passionate in defending them, in helping them to face economic realities and in showing them our support. The Commission's response to passion, however, is a cold 'large-scale grubbing up, liberalisation of planting rights and abolition of distillation mechanisms'.
In my opinion, this report on which we will be voting on Thursday shows that Parliament is responding with a proposal for reforms, admittedly, but progressive reforms. I think we need to leave the Member States, and particularly the regions, considerable room for manoeuvre in this matter: no one can deny that, in some regions, nothing grows except grapevines; nor can anyone deny the contribution that wine producers have made to the structure of the countryside.
Through their competences in town and country planning, the Member States and the regions therefore have the necessary capabilities to assess plantation or grubbing-up policies, in close cooperation with producers and representatives of the sector.
It is true that some of the instruments in the current common market organisation are now inappropriate, or are not being used properly, but I nevertheless expect the Commission to take the time to work with the Member States to analyse the consequences of the abolition or replacement of those instruments, particularly distillation mechanisms. I expect the Commission to propose instruments to regulate the market and to manage potential crises.
The recipe is simple: quality wine, and promotion. Global wine consumption is on the increase, and the economic and cultural boom in certain countries is being accompanied by an interest in drinking wine. It is important for the Community's wine sector to be made more competitive, by means of actions instituted at all stages of production and marketing. In terms of œnological practices, the new wine-producing countries have more flexible regulations. I think we need to be careful to avoid the character of our wines becoming globalised. We certainly need to relax the restrictions imposed on European producers and enable them to adapt to demand and improved competitiveness. I support a ban on the vinification of imported grape must, and on mixing it with Community must.
I would like, by way of conclusion, to remind you, Commissioner, that wines have a flavour of the land on which they are grown, the colour of the seasons and the spirit of the wine producers. They have the flavour of the country, of the European Union. It reminds me of an anonymous quotation: 'to make a great wine, you need a passionate fool to grow the vines, a wise man to regulate them, a lucid artist to make the wine, a lover to drink it and a poet to sing of its glory'."@en1
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