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News Releases
No. 22/06
March 10, 2006
EU AND US SIGN WINE ACCORD
The European Union and the United States today in London
signed a bilateral
wine accord. The agreement, which was approved by EU
agriculture ministers in
December 2005, follows 20
years of negotiation. It will help EU winemakers to
build on their current success in the US, which is by
far the EU’s largest export market. Annual EU wine
exports to the US are worth more than 2 billion euros,
around 40 percent of EU exports in terms of value. This
agreement provides a clear demonstration that the US and
the EU can resolve important and complex issues through
bilateral negotiations and both sides are committed to
doing so in the future. The EU and US will start talks
within 90 days on a more ambitious second-phase
agreement.
 “I’m delighted that this agreement can finally enter
into force, and I raise my glass to the negotiators for
their efforts,” said
Mariann Fischer Boel
(pictured at left), Commissioner
for
Agriculture and Rural Development.
“This deal will
facilitate access for EU wines to the lucrative US
market, where consumers greatly appreciate the quality
and long history behind our wines. In today’s
increasingly competitive marketplace, it is vital that
there are no unnecessary and burdensome barriers for our
winemakers, who I believe are the best in the world. The
EU attaches great importance to the proper protection of
its geographical indications abroad.”
The main elements of the
agreement are:
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Some European wine names, such as Port, Sherry and
Champagne, are currently considered as semi-generics in
the US. Under the agreement, their use will be limited
in the US. The US undertakes to change their legal
status to restrict their use in future to wine
originating in the EU.
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Existing US winemaking practices not covered by EU
derogations are accepted. However, it will only be
possible for the US to export such wines after the
status of the semi-generic names has been changed. New
US wine-making practices will be analysed and only
accepted in the EU in the event that no objection is
raised. This is not mutual recognition.
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EU wines are also exempted from the 2004 US
certification requirements.
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The US and EU have agreed to resolve bilateral issues
through informal bilateral consultations rather than
through formal dispute settlement mechanisms.
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Given that this in only a first-phase agreement, some
clear perspectives for the second and more ambitious
phase are spelled out. There is a clear commitment to
start the negotiations for the second-phase agreement no
later than 90 days after the entry into force of this
agreement.
More information on the above can be found at:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/markets/wine/index_en.htm
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Text:
http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/JOHtml.do?uri=OJ:L:2006:087:SOM:EN:HTML
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Further Contact Information
Press and Public Diplomacy
Delegation of the European Commission
2300 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
http://www.eurunion.org/PressRoom
Tel: 202-862-9552
Fax: 202-429-1766
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