WRITTEN QUESTION E-3277/02 by Astrid Lulling (PPE-DE)and Reinhold Messner (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Production methods for Maltese quality wines.
Date: 2002-11-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community acquis, Malta, chaptalisation, derogation from EU law, restriction on competition, transitional period (EU), viticulture, wine of superior quality

C 161 E/80

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

10.7.2003

(2003/C 161 E/084)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3277/02

by Astrid Lulling (PPE-DE)
and Reinhold Messner (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(19 November 2002)

Subject: Production methods for Maltese quality wines

Following the Commission’s answer to the Written Question E-2267/02 (1) it has come to our knowledge
that the European Union is prepared to concede to Malta two major departures from fundamental labelling
principles for a transitional period:

(cid:1) the addition of sugar in the production of wine (cid:1) something unheard of in a Southern European

country; and

(cid:1) the granting of a quality wine Malta PSR status to a wine produced in Malta from grapes or grape

must imported from overseas.

1.

Can the Commission confirm this?

If so, can the Commission guarantee that this transitional period will not put regular Maltese

2.
winemakers at a serious disadvantage?

3.

Is there no danger of this creating a precedent vis-à-vis other Mediterranean winemaking nations?

(1) OJ C 110 E, 8.5.2003, p. 38.

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(13 January 2003)

As already mentioned in the Commission’s answer to Written Question E-2267/02, in conducting the
accession negotiations on agriculture with Malta, the Community has ensured that the ‘acquis’ is fully
implemented by Malta and, at the same time, has taken into account the exceptional small scale of Maltese
agriculture and the specific natural constraints of the island. In particular, the Community has sought to
put in place conditions assuring a successful restructuring of Maltese agriculture in the years following
accession, during the phasing in of the Community rural development measures.

Malta has obtained a transitional period until 2008 to maintain its current minimum natural alcoholic
strength of wine produced from two indigenous varieties at 8 % vol. with an allowable increase in the
natural alcoholic strength not exceeding 3 % volume with regard to annex V of Council Regulation EC
No 1493/1999 of 17 May 1999.

The Commission believes that this measure,
limited in scope and in time, while necessary to allow a
successful integration of the Maltese wine industry in the internal market, will not lead to significant
distortions of competition. Due to the specific situation of the wine sector in Malta as well as the local
wine-growing conditions, the Commission does not believe that this measure will create a precedent vis-à-
vis other Mediterranean winemaking nations. Moreover,
the
viticultural techniques for the indigenous grapevine varieties in question.

it will allow sufficient

time to adopt

Malta has not requested granting of a quality wine produced in a specified region (psr) status to a wine
produced in Malta from imported grapes or grape must.