European wine is asking to become a political priority. Gathered on 30 June and 1 July in Irouléguy, France, the main wine organisations of Italy, France and Spain issued a joint appeal to their respective governments and to the European Commission, urging stronger support for the sector within the future Common Agricultural Policy. On the table are the major challenges putting pressure on the industry: climate change, slowing global consumption, geopolitical instability, rising production costs and increasing bureaucratic complexity. For the organisations involved, safeguarding the competitiveness of wine means protecting an economic, cultural, environmental and territorial heritage that represents one of the pillars of European agri‑food.
A united front from Europe’s three major wine‑producing countries
On 30 June and 1 July, the national wine associations of France, Italy and Spain met for the traditional “Contact Group”, the discussion forum that brings together representatives of the three main European producing countries.
The meeting highlighted complete alignment in analysing the critical issues affecting the sector. The organisations shared concerns about the impact of climate change on harvests and business competitiveness, the contraction of international consumption, uncertainty in export markets and an increasingly unstable geopolitical landscape.
Added to these factors are rising production costs, the need to strengthen the European single market and the urgency of administrative simplification to allow companies to operate more efficiently.
The CAP must remain the cornerstone of support for the sector
The message emerging from the summit is clear: the Common Agricultural Policy must continue to be a central tool in guiding the sector through its ongoing transformations.
The organisations stress that the wine industry requires adequate resources and targeted measures to face the current phase. In particular, they call for the CAP budget not to be reduced and for wine support to remain fully financed by the European Union.
According to the associations, the possible introduction of national co‑financing mechanisms would risk creating major imbalances among Member States, leading to unequal support conditions and fragmenting the internal market.
The stated goal is to preserve a common European framework that ensures equal competitive opportunities for producers across different countries.
No new models, but strengthening existing tools
The organisations of Italy, France and Spain believe that, before developing new solutions, it is necessary to consolidate and integrate into the future CAP the tools already available.
Particular attention is given to the so‑called “wine package”, considered a solid foundation on which to build support for the coming years. The organisations ask that the fundamental elements of the system remain unchanged: the dedicated budget, eligible measures, beneficiary categories, EU funding levels and the common regulatory framework.
At the same time, the sector urges European institutions to continue administrative and regulatory simplification, seen as one of the key factors for improving the competitiveness of wine companies.
In the shared document, the sector also expresses a positive assessment of the work carried out by European Commissioner Hansen.
The associations highlight in particular the results achieved through the wine package and the responses provided on strategic issues for operators, such as dealcoholisation and digital labelling.
For the European wine sector, these innovations must now be implemented quickly, avoiding further delays that could slow the industry’s adaptation to new market needs.
The European wine sector calls for a transitional phase toward the 2028–2034 CAP
Among the requests addressed to the European Commission is the need to ensure an effective transition between the current programming period and the future multiannual financial framework 2028–2034.
The organisations stress that it would be unacceptable for the work carried out over the past two years not to be fully applied in the future CAP. For this reason, they ask the EU to provide a transitional period allowing sectoral wine measures to continue until the new regulatory framework is defined.
Alongside economic and production issues, the document also addresses public health and the social role of wine.
The organisations of France, Italy and Spain emphasise that wine is a product of pleasure and culture which, when consumed in moderation, can be part of a healthy lifestyle. At the same time, they recall that viticulture is fundamental to the economic and environmental vitality of many European regions.
For this reason, the sector asks public authorities to maintain a clear distinction between the necessary fight against excessive alcohol consumption and the promotion of responsible wine consumption, considered an integral part of Mediterranean and European culture.
A mobilisation involving the entire European wine supply chain
The appeal launched by the European wine sector is supported by a particularly broad representation.
For Italy, the organisations present included Alleanza delle Cooperative Agroalimentari, Assoenologi, Cia‑Agricoltori Italiani, Coldiretti, Confagricoltura, Copagri, Federdoc, Federvini, Fivi and Unione Italiana Vini. Alongside the Italian organisations were the main French and Spanish federations representing production, cooperatives and denominations.
A united front that demonstrates the willingness of Europe’s three major producing countries to face together a crucial phase for the future of continental wine. The request to institutions is unequivocal: supporting the sector means not only defending an economic industry, but preserving territories, landscapes, employment, culture and one of the most recognisable symbols of European identity worldwide.
