Political stalemate, for the world of wine this is enough

The world of Italian wine is holding out but it cannot continue to reckon with the stalemate of politics in such a moment, full of uncertainties and suffering. Translated, it is necessary as soon as possible a Minister of Agriculture, a position left vacant after the farewell of Teresa Bellanova, and formally covered ad interim by the resigning Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. To launch the alarm is the president of the Italian Wine Union (UIV) Ernesto Abbona, in reference to the political impasse that is depriving the Ministry of Agriculture of the leadership of the sector.
”Italian wine - comments Abbona - is holding up exclusively with the strength of entrepreneurs, but there are now too many unresolved political knots that are coming to the surface. An executive and a minister are needed to put the sector back on the tracks of relaunch, to follow up on the norms and translate them into concrete actions for companies. Outstanding reliefs, Decree on the early closure of wine shops, Sustainability Decree, Promotion, are the main inert dossiers that are strongly penalizing producers”. According to the association that represents more than 150,000 wine growers and 85% of Italian wine exports, the stalemate is penalizing on several fronts companies already in difficulty. Starting from the payment of refunds on regional contributions to distillation, reduction of yields and storage of quality wines (50 million euros), to date completely unpaid by Agea despite the deadline of 31 December 2020. Another victim of the Government crisis that indirectly affects producers “is the clumsy Dpcm that obliges wine stores and specialized stores to close early (at 6 pm). Damage, estimated by the Vinarius Association which still has not received any answer about the ratio of the decree, of 30% on the daily turnover”.
In focus also the revitalization tools that remain blocked. UIV refers to the implementing decree on sustainability, whose approval “had been announced in vain by January, or the resources related to the promotion of a sector that makes the country an active trade balance of about six billion euros every year. Also in this context - observes UIV - the political and decisional stalemate has not allowed a wider reflection on the priorities of wine policy regarding a different remodeling of the National Support Plan 2021, leading to linear cuts for 15 million euros on all measures without a preliminary confrontation with a sector that asks, instead, loudly for more resources for the promotion to relaunch exports”.