The European wine sector 2008.
Date: 2009-03-23
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development
Subjects: agricultural statistics, common agricultural policy, common organisation of markets, viticulture

Developing 
the European 
wine sector's 
huge potential

International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) and it will 
add these practices to the list of EU approved techniques where 
necessary. Product enrichment through the addition of sugar or 
grape must is still permitted, but the maximum level has been 
reduced.

BETTER LABELLING RULES
Wines with a protected geographical indication (PGI) or protected 
designation of origin (PDO) will underpin the concept of EU 
quality wines. Well-established national quality policies will be 
safeguarded. Labelling will be simpler and, for example, will allow 
EU wines without a geographical indication to indicate variety and 
vintage on the label. Certain traditional terms and bottle shapes 
can continue to be protected.

Outline of the new common 
organisation of the market 
in wine

NATIONAL FINANCIAL ENVELOPES
European funds will be allocated to each EU producer country, 
to enable the fi nancing of measures responding to local needs. 
Possible measures include: promotion in third countries, vineyard 
restructuring/conversion, investment in modernisation of the 
production chain and in innovation, new crisis management 
measures, and simple decoupled support.

WINE-MAKING PRACTICES
The  procedure  for  adopting  new  oenological  practices  and 
modifying existing techniques has been made more fl exible.  
The Commission has now assumed responsibility from the Council 
for evaluating the list of oenological practices approved by the 

ALLOWING PRODUCERS TO REALISE THEIR 
POTENTIAL
The planting of new vines will be deregulated from 1 January 
2016. This may be deferred until 1 January 2019 at national level 
if the Member State so decides.

OTHER MEASURES
The gradual phasing-out of distillation schemes; a voluntary, 
temporary grubbing-up scheme spread over three years and 
comprising a total area of 175 000 hectares, involving the allocation 
of simple decoupled support.

Europe and wine: a tale of tradition

Europe produces the best wines in the world

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And winegrowing 
remains one of the 
jewels in the crown of 
European farming.

The wine sector lies at 
the heart of economic 
and social activity 
across numerous 
European regions.

Vine landscapes provide 
some of the most 
spectacular scenery 
in Europe.

This publication provides an overview 
of the revised common organisation 
of the market in wine.

For further information on:

The wine sector
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/markets/wine/index_en.htm

Wine sector reforms
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/capreform/wine/index_en.htm

European Commission
Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/

European Commission
Agriculture and Rural Development

The European wine sector
2008

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The European 
wine sector 

Producer countries

The European Union is at the forefront of the world market: 
the EU is not only the leading global producer of wine (50% of 
all vineyard area is located in the EU and over 60% of global 
production takes place there), but it is also the leading consumer 
of wine (over 60% of global supply), the primary exporter and the 
primary importer in this sector.

A combination of great expertise and hard labour has made 
European wines exceptionally successful. Yet despite all of this 
success, all is not well within the EU's wine sector. 

The consumption of European wine is falling across many countries 
and we are losing out to dynamic "New World" producers, who are 
more adept at exploiting distribution channels and catering for 
new trends as they emerge. In third countries where more and more 
people are discovering the pleasures of wine, European producers 
are not gaining suffi  ciently large shares of the market.

CONSUMER EXPECTATIONS
Food quality, origin and safety are high on the consumer's 
agenda. This includes knowledge of what goes into a wine and how 
it is made. European consumers also want to see the best wine-
making traditions preserved whilst embracing technological 
developments that improve quality, traceability and often also 
provide better value for money. The European Union requires that 

the origin of a product be clearly indicated and underpinned by 
traceability and control systems. Certain basic information, such as 
the year of harvest or the vine variety, must be supplied. Another 
challenge is for producers to adapt to evolving consumer tastes 
and follow the latest best practices in wine making.

DIVERSITY IN THE EUROPEAN WINE SECTOR
Whether one looks at vineyard size, kinds of wine or œnological 
practices tailored to diff erent climatic conditions, the reality 
of  wine  production  in  Europe  varies  greatly  from  one 
Member State to another – in all cases, however, it represents 
an integral part of the country's culture and heritage. Yet there 
are a number of constructive measures that can strengthen 
the competitiveness of European wine growers. These include 
modernising  production,  improving  quality  and  further 
adapting to market demands, by growing new vine varieties, 
as well as promoting European wines on export markets and 
providing a safety net for crisis situations.  Given the diversity of 
Europe's wine sector, the challenge is to tailor local solutions 
to local needs.

EU27 wine 
production and sales

Member 
States

Wine production by 
volume (2003-2007 
average)

Member 
States

Wine production 
in monetary terms 
(2003-2007 average)

France

Italy

Spain 

Germany 

Portugal

Romania 

Hungary 

Greece

Austria

Bulgaria 

Slovenia

Czech 
Republic

Slovakia

Cyprus

Luxembourg

Malta

United 
Kingdom

Belgium

Netherlands 

1000 hl

51 683

50 813

44 704

9 383

7 120

4 910

3 697

3 910

2 471

1 958

861

554

387

248

136

69

20

4

1

EU27 total 

182 930

%

28 %

28 %

24 %

5 %

4 %

2.7 %

2 %

2 %

1.4 %

1.1 %

0.5 %

0.3 %

0.2 %

0.1 %

0.1 %

0.0 %

0.0 %

0.0 %

0.0 %

100 %

%

48 %

25 %

7 %

8 %

6 %

3 %

1.4 %

1 %

0.6 %

0.3 %

0.1 %

0.2 %

France

Italy

Spain 

Germany 

Portugal

Austria

Romania 

Hungary 

Slovenia

Greece

Czech 
Republic

Luxembourg

Slovakia

Cyprus

Malta

United 
Kingdom

Belgium

Netherlands 

Bulgaria

€ million 

7 605

3 851

1 028

1 271

956

443

220

123

91

50

23

2,8

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

EU27 total 

15 689

100 %

n.a.: not available

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