No C 270/16 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities 26.11.  75 
Opinion  on the 
Proposal  for a Council  Regulation  on measures  intended  to adapt  wine  potential  to 
market  requirements 
and on the amendments  to the Proposal  for a Council  Regulation  amending  Regulations 
(EEC)  No 816/70  and  (EEC)  No 817/70,  taking  into  account  the Council  Resolution 
of 21 April  1975  concerning  new  guidelines  designed  to balance  the  market  in table 
wines  (Amendment  by virtue  of Article  149,  second  subparagraph  of the Treaty) 
The text  referred  to the  Committee  was  published  in the  Official  Journal  of the 
European  Communities  No  C 167  of 24 July  1975,  page  2. 
On 23 and  24 June  1975,  the  Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  under  Articles  47 and  198  of the Treaty  establishing 
the European  Economic  Community. 
B. OPINION  OF THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  drew  up its Opinion  at its 132nd  plenary  session, 
held in Brussels  on 16 and  17 July  1975. 
The Opinion  is published  below: A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, Having  regard  to the  oral  report  made  by  the 
Rapporteur,  Mr Guillaume; 
Having  regard  to the  Council's  request  for  an 
Opinion,  made  on 23-24  June  1975; Having  regard  to the Opinion  adopted  by the Section 
for Agriculture  at its meeting  on 9 July  1975; 
Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Economic  Community,  and  in particular 
Articles  47 and  198  thereof; 
Having  regard  to the discussion  at its meeting  on 17 
July 1975  (132nd  Plenary  Session  of 16 and  17 July 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by its Bureau  on 1975), 
15 July  1975,  instructing  the Section  for Agriculture 
to prepare  the Committee's  work  on the matter; 
Having  regard  to its previous  work  on the  matter, 
and in particular  its Opinion  of 17 February  1975  (*); HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
(») OJ No C 108,  15. 5. 1975. by 44 votes  to 22, with  6 abstentions: 
26.11.  75 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 270/17 
t. General  comments 
1.1. The  Economic  and  Social  Committee  has 
taken  note  of  information  provided  by 
representatives  of the Commission,  concerning: 
(a) a Proposal  for a Council  Regulation  on measures 
intended  to adapt  wine  potential  to market 
requirements;  and 
(b) amendments  to  the  Proposal  for  a Council 
Regulation  amending  Regulations  (EEC)  No 
816/70  and  (EEC)  No  817/70,  taking  into 
account  the Council  Resolution  of 21 April  1975 
concerning  new  guidelines  designed  to balance 
the market  in table  wines. 
Before  examining  these  two  draft  texts  in detail,  the 
Committee  proposes  to make  some  remarks  of a 
general  nature  on  the  whole  policy  for  the  wine 
sector,  which  is an important  part  of the  common 
agricultural  policy.  These  remarks  concern,  in 
particular,  certain  aspects  not  covered  by  the 
Commission's  proposals. 
1.2. The  Committee  considers  that  the  problems 
concerning  wine  production  and  the  wine  market 
should  be treated  in an overall  and  not  a piecemeal 
manner,  in view  of the  constant  interaction  between 
the different  elements  of  this  policy:  planting, 
production,  methods  of  preparation,  quality 
standards,  marketing,  support  measures,  checks  on, 
and the  stamping-out  of,  cases  of  fraud,  the 
presentation  of products,  etc. 
1.3. In  addition,  the  Committee  would  draw 
attention  to the  need  for a long-term  policy,  because 
of the  perennial  nature  of vine  cultivation  and  the 
high  investments  involved.  The  Committee  fears  that 
changing  the  direction  of policy  too  frequently  is 
prejudicial  to the  basic  interests  of producers  and 
consumers. 
1.4. In  view  of the  serious  structural  and  income 
problems  facing  wine  producers  in the  Community, 
and the  resultant  concern  of consumers  about  the 
availability  of  good  quality,  reasonably-priced 
products,  the  Committee  considers  that  the 
Commission's  proposals  are  incomplete  and 
insufficient  to meet  all the restructuring  needs  of the 
wine  sector. 
1.5. The  Committee  deplores  the  fact  that  certain 
aspects  of the  Commission's  proposals,  as borne  out 
by the  wording  of the  financial  note,  particularly 
those  relating  to the  organization  of markets,  show, 
basically,  a desire  to cut  EAGGF  expenditure  at the expense  of the  guarantee  which  must  be given  to the 
wine  sector.  Such  savings  should  come  from  greater 
equilibrium  and  a reform  of the market. 
1.6. The  Committee  considers  that  European 
viticulture,  which  in certain  Community  regions  is 
the principal  — if not  the  only  — source  of income 
for millions  of  producers,  cannot  be  treated 
differently  from  other  large  agricultural  sectors, 
which  benefit  from  permanent  intervention  systems 
and price  guarantees. 
The Committee  is astonished  that  only  the  wine 
sector  is  subject  to  measures  which  impose 
considerable  constraints  and  sacrifices  on producers 
but do not  provide  them  with  any  guarantee  with 
respect  to their  incomes. 
1.7. Aside  from  the problems  peculiar  to the  wine 
sector,  the  Committee  observes  that  serious 
disturbances  are  affecting  the  common  agricultural 
policy,  and  the  imbalances  on certain  agricultural 
markets  which  result  from  this  cannot  be removed 
while  the  present  monetary  anomalies,  which 
aggravate  the  disparities  of costs  and  incomes, 
continue  to exist. 
Recent  marketing  years  have  shown  clearly  that  in 
spite  of massive  intervention,  the  markets  cannot 
recover  because  of the  current  disarray  in the 
monetary  field,  which  distorts  prices  in the  different 
Member  States  of the Community. 
1.8. As  regards  the  search  for  a balance  between 
supply  and  demand,  the Committee  trusts  that  all the 
aspects  will  be considered,  especially  those  relating  to 
excessive  taxes  on wine,  which  in certain  Member 
States  have  reached  levels  which  prohibit  normal 
consumption. 
The Committee  asks  that  the problem  of taxes  on the 
different  types  of fermented  or alcoholic  beverages  in 
the various  Member  States  be the  subject  of an 
immediate  agreement  at Council  level.  Such  an 
agreement  should  put  an  end  to  the  excessive 
inequalities  which  exist  in certain  Member  States, 
and thus  ensure  that  wine  — which  is a beverage  of 
agricultural  origin—is  not  penalized. 
1.9. The  Committee  is particularly  aware  of the 
dangers  to market  equilibrium  in the  EEC  which 
would  arise  from  a policy  which  was  too  liberal  with 
respect  to Third  Countries.  It would  like  advantages 
granted  to certain  countries  under  the  Mediterranean 
policy,  which  seriously  affect  the  principle  of 
Community  preference,  to be evaluated  accurately. 
No C 270/18 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities 26.11.  75 
1.10.  The  Committee  attaches  considerable 
importance  to the  strengthening  of controls  and  the 
stamping-out  of fraud,  in order  to help  ensure 
compliance  with  rules  concerning  the  production, 
preparation  and  marketing  of products,  whether  the 
products  concerned  originate  in the  Community  or 
are imported. 
Checks  with  regard  to the  latter  products  must  be 
particularly  careful  in so far  as there  is no legal 
obligation  at  production  and  marketing  levels, 
contrary  to the  position  with  respect  to Community 
products.  Moreover,  the Committee  considers  that,  as 
regards  products  covered  by preferential  agreements, 
the States  concerned  must  give  a formal  undertaking 
to carry  out  such  checks  on their  own  territory  at the 
preparation  stage  of products. 
The national  authorities  involved  could  be made 
considerably  more  effective  through  formal  and 
practical  coordination  at Community  level. 
1.11.  As  there  is no Community  control  service, 
the Committee  asks  that  national  services  be 
coordinated  and  controls  strengthened  and 
harmonized.  The  setting-up  of a central  laboratory 
seems  vital,  so as to put  an end  to arguments  due  to 
the use  of different  methods  of analysis  by  the 
Member  States  and  facilitate  the  complete 
harmonization  of  oenological  practices  in  the 
different  Member  States. 
1.12.  The  Committee  points  out  that,  on several 
occasions,  it has  asked  that  the  Council  adopt  as 
soon  as possible  the  proposals  for  Regulations  on 
oenological  practices  and  on  the  designation  and 
presentation  of wines  and  musts,  since  such  measures 
are calculated  to ensure  fair  competition,  consumer 
protection  and  confidence  in  wine  production 
throughout  the Community. 
2. Examination  of the Proposal  for a Council 
Regulation  on measures  intended  to adapt  wine 
potential  to market  requirements 
2.1. Firstly,  the  Commission's  intentions  in this 
field  demonstrate  that  the authors  of the amendments 
proposed  believe  that  Community  production  is now 
in surplus  and  that  the  expansion  of the  EEC's 
vineyards  should  be strictly  limited. 
In so far as Article  17 of Regulation  (EEC)  No 816/70 
already  provided  for  the  possibility  of a certain 
restrictiveness  of policy  with  regard  to planting,  the new proposals  are  based  on this  Article  and  provide 
for: 
— the  prohibiting  of new  planting  until  after  1 
January  1977,  with  the  possibility  of the  date 
being  extended, 
— the  introduction  of a system  for  authorizing  the 
replanting  of vines  in the  light  of a certain 
number  of criteria, 
— the  demarcation  of 'wine-growing  reorganization 
areas',  in which  replanting  will  be subject  to 
special  criteria, 
— the  subdividing  of Member  States'  wine-produc-
ing areas  by the  Member  States  themselves  into 
three  categories,  according  to  scientific  and 
pragmatic  criteria. 
2.2. Overall,  the Committee  considers  that  in view 
of the  present  state  of production  and  demand,  and 
as it has  still  to be determined  whether  the  wine 
surpluses  are  of a structural  or cyclical  nature,  it 
would  be wise  to provide  for  a restrictive  planting 
and replanting  scheme  such  as that  proposed  by the 
Commission  in  Article  1,  designed  to  prevent 
structural  surpluses,  particularly  of  poor-quality 
wines,  from  occurring. 
2.3. However,  since  the  vine  is a perennial  crop 
planted  to last  for  several  decades,  the  Committee 
considers  that  a two-year  halt  to planting  is too 
short.  The  Committee  trusts  that  the  system  to be 
introduced  after  1977  will  be oriented  towards  a 
Community  system  of special  authorizations,  which 
could  be granted  according  to the  circumstances  for 
specific  soils,  on the basis  of criteria  of quality,  in the 
event  of long-term  outlets  being  assured  for  certain 
products. 
2.4. The  Committee  considers  that  limitations  to 
be imposed  on  replanting  in the  light  of various 
criteria  should,  basically,  take  into  account  vineyards' 
ability  to produce  quality  table  wines  — especially  if 
this be due  to the  soil  and  to the  vine  varieties  used 
— bearing  in mind  the  results  obtained  in recent 
years  and  the  possibilities  of using  the land  for other 
purposes. 
2.5. As  regards  the  possibility  of a policy  of 
voluntary  grubbing,  which  would  accelerate  the rapid 
disappearance  of certain  vineyards  which  were  badly 
situated  or planted  with  poor-quality  vine  varieties, 
the Committee  considers  that  whatever  happens,  any 
such  policy  should  include  social  measures  designed 
to facilitate  switching  of the  vine-growers  concerned 
to other  work. 
2.6. Such  grubbings  should  be  encouraged  by 
premiums  paid  during  a certain  period.  Furthermore, 
the encouragement  of undertakings  not  to replant  for 
26.11.  75 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 270/19 
a fairly  long  period  (10  years)  could  make  for  the 
temporary  conversion  of certain  vineyards  to the 
production  of other  products  in short  supply  in 
Europe. 
2.7. The  limiting  of replanting  which  could  be 
brought  about  on the  basis  of the  criteria  laid  down 
by the  Commission,  poses  delicate  problems.  The 
importance  in recent  years  of distillation  and  storage 
contracts  in certain  regions  does  not  enable  mediocre 
vineyards  to be localized  with  certainty,  for  other 
factors  may  interfere. 
2.8. The  Committee  also  considers  that  the 
questions  of yields  must  always  be examined  in 
connection  with  the  question  of  quality,  the 
geographical  situation  and  climatic  conditions. 
2.9. In  concluding  its  examination  of this  first 
topic,  the Committee  considers  that: 
— an overall  policy  to achieve  equilibrium  with 
respect  to wine-growing  capacity  must  be framed, 
and take  into  account  the  quality  and  quantity 
requirements  dictated  by  the  soil  and  vine 
varieties  involved, 
— new  plantings  must  be banned,  with  provision 
being  made  for special  derogations  where  justified 
by the existence  of reliable  oulets  for certain  types 
of wine, 
— a replanting  scheme  must  be drawn  up on the 
basis  of criteria  which  give  absolute  priority  to 
quality  vineyards,  identified  as such  on a scientific 
basis  and  in the  light  of experience  acquired  in 
each  individual  region, 
— a scheme  to encourage  voluntary  grubbing  or 
non-replanting  must  be  envisaged,  so  as  to 
accelerate  the  disappearance  of vineyards  which, 
either  because  of their  soil  or because  of the  vine 
varieties  planted  in them,  are of poor  quality, 
— for  the  application  of the  measures  listed  above, 
consideration  should  also  be  given  to  the 
possibilities  of  switching  to  other  types  of 
agricultural  production. 
2.10.  The  Committee  is in favour  of the  plan  to 
classify  vineyards  into  three  categories,  but  feels  that 
it would  be  unrealistic  to  introduce  special 
constraints  on  wine  producers  whose  vineyards 
would  be  classified  in one  or another  of these 
categories  without  them  receiving  anything  in return. 
It therefore  proposes  that  the  three  categories  of 
vineyard  be defined  on the following  basis: 
— vineyards  whose  soil  is  conducive  to  the 
cultivation  of vines:  in these  vineyards,  replanting 
and,  possibly,  new  planting  would  be  given priority  and  be  submitted  to a minimum  of 
restrictions, 
— 'wine-growing  reorganization  areas':  here, 
replanting  would  be governed  by stricter  rules 
but, in return,  'renewal  aids'  could  be granted  to 
speed  up replanting  with  good  vine  varieties, 
— reconversion  vineyards:  here,  the  only  aids 
granted  would  be for a switch  to crops  other  than 
the vine.  The  criteria  determining  such 
classification  should  be laid  down  by the Council 
acting  on a proposal  by the Commission  and  after 
consulting  all the interests  concerned. 
2.11.  The  Committee  considers  that  it is unrealistic 
to make  it compulsory  for  Member  States  to 
subdivide  their  vineyards  into  three  categories  before 
31 December  1975.  It feels  that  an initial,  transitional 
subdivision  could  be  made  within  one  year,  and 
completed  in detail  during  the following  year. 
3. Amendments  to the Proposal  for a Council 
Regulation  amending  Regulations  (EEC)  No 816/70 
and (EEC)  No 817/70,  taking  into  account  the 
Council  Resolution  of 21 April  1975  concerning  new 
guidelines  designed  to balance  the market  in table 
wines 
3.1. The  Committee  notes  that  the  four  main 
points  of the Commission's  new  proposals  are: 
(a) preventive  distillation  and  compulsory  preventive 
distillation  at the beginning  of the marketing  year 
in the  event  of  an  imbalance  between 
availabilities  and  requirements; 
(b) measures  to encourage  the production  and  use  of 
grape  musts  and  concentrated  grape  musts; 
(c) stricter  rules  on the  minimum  natural  alcoholic 
strengths  of  wine  from  different  areas  and 
limitation  of the  rules  regarding  enrichment; 
raising  of the  minimum  alcoholic  strength  of 
table  wines  to 9-5°  subject  to derogation  for 
zones  A and  B; 
(d) bans  with  regard  to the  movement  of wines 
suitable  for  yielding  table  wines  and  the 
marketing  of wines  produced  from  table  grapes. 
3.2. The  Committee  considers  that  the  operations 
referred  to in point  (a) should  be used  primarily  to 
eliminate  wines  of bad  quality. 
3.3. While  accepting  compulsory  distillation  for 
wine  which  does  not  correspond  to the standards  laid 
down,  the  Committee  opposes  any  compulsory 
distillation  which  only  takes  into  account  the  size  of 
yields,  irrespective  of quality. 
No C 270/20 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities 26. 11. 75 
3.4. The  Committee  considers  that  in so far as the 
market  in certain  quality  wines  psr is in a state  where 
it may  disturb  the  market  in table  wines,  decisions 
could  be taken  to intervene  with  respect  to these 
quality  wines  psr,  so  as  to  ensure  a general 
equilibrium  on the market. 
3.5. The  Committee  considers  that  details  should 
be obtained  with  regard  to the  prices  of such 
distillation  operations,  and  especially  concerning  the 
possibility  of a difference  between  the  price  paid  for 
preventive  distillation  and  that  paid  for  compulsory 
preventive  distillation.  In  order  that  distillation 
should  make  an  effective  contribution  towards 
achieving  its aim  of relieving  the market  of surpluses, 
the prices  paid  for  distillation  should  be as close  as 
possible  to the  activating  price,  especially  as regards 
voluntary  preventive  distillation. 
3.6. Finally,  the  Committee  wonders  whether 
provisions  will  be  made  for  several  withdrawal 
prices,  in view  of the different  types  of wine  involved. 
3.7. The  Committee  welcomes  the planned  aids  for 
the marketing  of  grape  must  intended  for  the 
preparation  of grape  juice,  concentrated  musts  and 
other  beverages.  However,  it considers  that  such  aids 
must  be made  public  as soon  as possible  before  the 
beginning  of the  marketing  year,  so as to encourage 
the conclusion  of contracts  with  the  soft  drinks  and 
grape-juice  producing  industries.  The  procedure  for 
giving  such  aids  must  always  be available,  as the 
Committee  has  already  requested. 
3.8. The  Committee  approves  the  increase  of 
minimum  alcoholic  strengths  by 0-5°  in each  of the 
production  zones  in the  EEC.  But  in view  of the 
special  attention  in the  A zones,  it might  be possible 
to provide  for exceptions,  in so far as wines  would  be 
obtained  within  normal  yield  limits.  However,  the 
Committee  is bound  to point  out  that,  as a general 
rule,  it has  always  favoured  minimum  figures  of 9-5° 
for total  alcoholic  strength  and  8-5°  for  actual 
alcoholic  strength. 
3.9. The  Committee  also  points  out  that  factors 
other  than  alcoholic  strength  are  involved  in the 
evaluation  of wine  quality,  such  as acidity,  dry 
extract,  the  intensity  of colour  in the  case  of red 
wines,  etc. 
Done  at Brussels,  17 July  1975. 3.10.  The  Committee  asks  that  the  ban  on wines 
suitable  for yielding  table  wines  should  only  apply  to 
those  wines  which  are  of an insufficient  alcoholic 
strength. 
3.11.  The  Committee  is also  in favour  of the  ban 
on the  marketing  of wines  produced  from  vine 
varieties  used  for producing  table  grapes,  whether  the 
products  involved  come  under  Common  Customs 
Tariff  heading  No 22.06  or under  heading  No 22.07. 
However,  this  measure  could  be made  less  strict  by 
re-classifying  vine  varieties  beforehand  and  allowing 
certain  vine  varieties  used  for producing  table  grapes, 
but which  comply  with  particular  cirteria  of quality, 
to be classified  among  the mixed  vine  varieties. 
In view  of this  ban,  the Committee  considers  that  the 
Regulation  on  the  common  organization  of the 
market  in fruit  and  vegetables  should  be adapted,  so 
that support  of  the  market  may  be  organized 
accordingly. 
3.12.  From  a general  point  of view,  the Committee 
appreciates  the  Commission's  intentions  to obtain 
balanced  production  in  the  long  term  through 
improved  planting  discipline  and,  in the  short  term, 
through  preventive  distillation  and  measures  to 
encourage  quality,  but  it emphasizes  once  more  that 
this new  direction  means  that  controls  must  be 
strengthened  and  cases  of fraud  stamped  out. 
3.13.  The  Committee  draws  particular  attention  to 
the need  to place  a strict  limit  on the  use  of abusive 
enrichment  practices,  especially  chaptalization. 
Prohibition  of chaptalization  with  respect  to table 
wines  should  be envisaged  in zone  C, and  its use 
gradually  reduced  in zone  B. 
3.14.  In  conclusion,  the  Committee  emphasizes 
that the  present  Opinion  must  be  looked  at in 
conjunction  with  its Opinion  of 27 February  1975 
concerning  the  Commission's  previous  proposals 
relating  to the common  organization  of the market  in 
wine.  It refers  to the comments  made  in this  Opinion 
on the  procedures  for  the  enrichment  of table  wines 
and on the  plight  of Community  vinegrowers,  who, 
contrary  to what  is provided  for  in the case  of other 
sectors  by the  Common  Agricultural  Policy,  have  no 
income  guarantees. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Henri  CANONGE 
26.11.  75 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities No C 270/21 
ANNEX 
to the Opinion  of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
The following  amendments  were  rejected: 
Item  1.3 
Insert  the following  at the end of item  1.3 (item  1.4 in the Committee  Opinion): 
'The Committee  considers  that  the Commission  should  take  advantage  of a temporary 
suspension  — not more  than  two  years  — of planting  and  replanting,  in order  to explore 
all the possibilities  for a comprehensive  restructuring  of the wine  sector  in line  with  the 
need  for rational  planning  of vineyard  acreage,  to ensure  wine  producers  incomes  which  are 
comparable,  and  to provide  consumers  with  products  that  are  of good  quality  and 
reasonably  priced. 
Such  a suspension  should  not,  of course,  affect  replanting  rights  already  acquired  under 
national  law.' 
Voting: 
For: 21, against:  33, abstentions:  6. 
Item  3.3 
Reword  as follows: 
'The Committee  is opposed  to compulsory  distillation.  This  could  only  be accepted  for 
wines  which  do not correspond  to the standards  laid  down  and  which  are not suitable  for 
yielding  table  wine. 
Wine  producers,  who  already  accept  a substantial  degree  of economic  discipline  by 
limiting  their  wine  output  and plantings,  must  not be further  penalized.' 
Voting: 
For: 22, against:  29, abstentions:  12.