Wine reforms good news for UK consumers and producers

UK wine producers will stay exempt from restrictive red tape after EuropeanUnion Agriculture Ministers agreed reforms of the Common Agricultural Policywine regime today.

The regime includes rules on the production and labelling of wine in Europeas well as financial support for the wine sector.

The agreement includes:

* Phasing out of restrictions on vineyard planting and of EU-funded schemesfor disposing of surplus wine and wine products.

* New de minimis rules, which exempt Member States with very smallproduction from various aspects of the regime. The UK produces less than0.01 per cent of EU wine and will benefit from this provision.

Defra Minister Jonathan Shaw said:

"This is good news for UK consumers and producers. Our producers will remainexempt from the most bureaucratic and restrictive parts of the regime,whilst consumers will benefit from clearer, simpler labelling of EU wines.

"This is an important reform. It will rid the wine regime of its worstfeatures, which discouraged innovation and encouraged surplus productionthat was disposed of at the European taxpayer's expense."