There is a subtle but decisive boundary between protecting public health and adopting an ideological approach. And it is precisely this boundary that, according to the European wine sector, risks being crossed with the new draft of the BECA plan – Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. A firm reaction comes from Unione Italiana Vini (UIV), which expresses strong concern over the direction outlined in the document published on 23 March by the European Parliament’s Health Committee. The draft calls on the European Commission to present, “without further delay,” legislative proposals on health warnings on labels. For Italian and European wine, this is a signal that reopens a front that appeared already settled and risks indiscriminately impacting one of the most identity‑defining sectors of Made in Europe.
A Hard‑Won Balance at Risk
According to UIV, the BECA draft represents a step backward compared to the balance built at EU level over recent years. A balance that had acknowledged the need to distinguish between abuse and responsible consumption, avoiding oversimplifications that equate wine with other products without considering its cultural, agricultural and social specificity.
This point is emphasized by Lamberto Frescobaldi, President of Unione Italiana Vini:
“It is striking and worrying that an equilibrium already reached at European level is once again being questioned, deliberately ignoring both the vote expressed by the European Parliament just three years ago and the guidance of the United Nations Political Declaration on non‑communicable diseases. This is an approach that risks fueling an ideological and punitive mindset, rather than one based on scientific evidence and a clear distinction between abuse and responsible consumption.”
Health Warnings on Labels: A Punitive Approach That Penalizes a Strategic Sector
UIV fears that introducing health warnings on labels would unjustly penalize a strategic sector—not only economically, but also culturally and environmentally. Wine, the association stresses, is an integral part of the European agricultural model, rural economies, and a production system that in recent years has invested decisively in sustainability, quality and responsibility.
“It is unacceptable to continue intervening on issues that have already been clarified, diverting attention from the real priorities of development and competitiveness for the European wine sector,” Frescobaldi continued. “We call on Members of the European Parliament and the Commission to decisively correct this approach, avoiding measures that would indiscriminately strike a sector that is emblematic of Europe’s economy, culture and sustainability.”
Wine, Health and Responsibility: A Matter of Method
In the debate opened by the BECA draft, the central issue is not the denial of the health dimension, but the method by which it is addressed. For the wine world, the path forward cannot be based on alarmist and generalized messages, but on policies grounded in scientific data, education toward responsible consumption, and recognition of the differences between products, contexts and lifestyles.
UIV also recalls the guidance of the United Nations on non‑communicable diseases, which urges governments to adopt balanced policies capable of distinguishing between risky behaviors and moderate consumption models, without demonizing entire productive sectors.
Health Warnings on Labels: The Coming Weeks Are Crucial for the Sector
Parliamentary discussion on the BECA plan is expected to begin in the coming weeks—a step that the European wine sector views with close attention and concern, aware that the outcome will shape the future direction of EU wine policies.
For Unione Italiana Vini, what is at stake goes far beyond labeling: it concerns recognition of the cultural, economic and identity value of European wine, and the ability of institutions to design effective health policies without resorting to ideological shortcuts.
In a Europe that asks companies to be sustainable, responsible and competitive, the risk is that oversimplified messaging could end up weakening precisely those sectors that have invested most in quality and awareness.
