Wine producers and importers will be freed from unnecessary red
tape thanks to proposed changes to retained EU laws on the
production and marketing of wine, providing a £180m boost to our
wine industry, opening the market to new products, and growing
the economy.
The changes will allow wine makers the freedom to pick from a
wider range of vines, including more disease resistant varieties,
and overturn the restrictions which currently prevent the wine
industry from producing new blends. Bottlers will also be able to
turn imported wine into sparkling wine.
Changes will also include removing expensive and cumbersome
packaging requirements – such as ending the mandatory requirement
that certain sparkling wines must have foil caps and mushroom
stoppers.
Domestic wine makers will also be free to show a variety and
vintage of any wine without having to go through laborious,
previously EU-mandated applications processes.
The package of reforms follows engagement with the sector and are
made possible by powers under the Retained EU Law Bill which are
being used to remove any constraints from our economy whilst
ensuring our high standards are not compromised.
Food and Drink Secretary Food and Drink Thérèse Coffey
said:
The UK has over 800 thriving vineyards at home and hundreds of
millions of pounds worth of wine trade going through UK ports
every year.
But for too long our producers have been held back by cumbersome
inherited EU regulations. We will give them the freedom they need
to thrive.
These reforms will put a rocket under our wine makers’ businesses
– growing the economy, creating jobs and supporting a vital part
of our food and drink sector.
Business and Trade Secretary said:
Needless red tape stifles innovation and growth. Now we have
taken back control of our laws, we can ensure they work in the
best interests of our businesses.
Reforming and scrapping burdensome regulation will help grow the
economy and provide businesses with much-needed freedoms to
innovate, create and thrive.
Miles Beale, Chief Executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade
Association, said:
We welcome the range of measures proposed today, many of which we
have proposed publicly. By introducing greater flexibility, wine
producers and importers won’t be forced to do anything
differently but will be able to innovate.
Allowing businesses bringing bulk wine into GB to be able to
blend, will benefit importers, bottlers - and ultimately
consumers while labelling changes will allow a common back label
to be used in both EU and UK markets, maintaining the UK as an
attractive market for all producers – large and small.”
The consultation - due to launch shortly - will seek views on the
nature, scope and timings of all the proposed changes from a
variety of stakeholders in the industry.
Further information
Reforms will include:
- Importer labelling – Remove a requirement that imported wines
must show an importer rather than a Food Business Operator on the
label. This will reduce costs and bureaucracy for consumers.
- Hybrid grape varieties – Wine with Protected Designation of
Origin permitted to use a wider choice of vine varieties that are
more disease resistant. This will enable farmers to choose the
variety that works best for them and reduce vine loss due to
disease.
- Piquette – Allow producers to make and market piquette from
their wine production by-products. This will open up new income
streams for wine producers.
- Blending wine – Allow imported wine to be blended in market.
This will boost our domestic industries by enabling the
production of new product lines.
- Foil caps and mushroom stoppers – Remove the mandatory
requirement that certain sparkling wines must have these to be
marketed in UK This will mean less cost for producers and more
choice for consumers.
- Wine Certification Scheme – Allow any wine to show a variety
and vintage without having to apply for the right to do so. This
will reduce bureaucracy and cost for producers and enable new
products to reach our shelves more quickly.
- Transformation of wine sector products – Allow imported wine
sector to be carbonated, sweetened, de-alcoholised in market.
This will enable our industry to create more product lines for
the UK market/tastes and give consumers more choice.
- Low and No alcohol wine – Permit the production and marketing
of low and no alcohol wines. Given the growing popularity of low
and no alcohol wine, this will mean more flexibility for domestic
producers and greater choice for consumers.
