WRITTEN QUESTION E-1333/02

by María Herranz García (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(8 May 2002)

Subject: Promotion of wine

The consumption of wine in Spain and the other main wine-producing countries is continuing to fall, whilst imports from the American continent, above all, are continuing to grow. Consumption in Spain alone fell by more than one million hectolitres between 1999 and 2001. In countries where the consumption of wine is part of a deep-rooted cultural tradition it is paradoxical that consumption of their own wine is decreasing in favour of other wines produced outside the EU. According to figures supplied by agricultural co-operatives, Germany is the only country where there is an increase in consumption, but this increase is being absorbed by New-World wines. Those in the trade have thought for a number of years that the only way out of the problem is to introduce effective promotional measures in order to try to salvage the market.

Could the Commission specify the precise reasons for the decline in consumption and could it explain what promotional measures are planned both inside and outside the European Union and how much money is earmarked for them?

If they are to be general promotion measures, does the Commission consider that they will be as effective as individual promotional measures for specific wines?

Does the Commission consider that the promotional campaigns subsidised by the Community will be on a scale comparable to the advertising carried out by third countries in the European Union?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(27 June 2002)

The Commission has only general information on wine consumption trends, supplied by the Member States. That information currently indicates a relatively substantial fall in consumption in the producer Member States particularly in France, Italy and Spain.

It seems clear that the fall in consumption is largely structural: the younger generations are drinking less wine, in particular less table wine with meals on a daily basis. Between 1996 and 2001, wine consumption fell from 34,7 to 31,7 million hl in Italy and from 35,1 to 34,7 million hl in France.

Although consumption is rising in the non-producer countries, the relatively low starting point means that the increase there is insufficient to offset the decrease in the producer countries. Between 1996 and 2001, consumption rose by 1,9 million hl in the United Kingdom but fell by 3,0 million hl in Italy.

With the increasing globalisation of trade and the disappearance of more and more trade barriers, it is not surprising to see wines from third countries penetrating a market previously supplied solely by Community production. Between 1996 and 2001, wine imports increased from 5,8 to 8,8 million hl (+ 51 %) and consumption of these New World wines increased in the United Kingdom from 3,6 to 6,2 l/person (+ 72 %).

The Commission would point out that the Community promotional campaigns provided for are to supplement private initiatives and must be of a generic and non-commercial nature. These promotional campaigns are intended, in particular, to highlight the special features of Community production and its links with our winegrowing regions' soils, history and culture.

The financial support available for these promotional campaigns is relatively small. In the absence of figures on third countries' advertising campaigns, the Commission is unable to assess whether they are proportional.