Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and wine: no worries. MEP Paolo De Castro statements

Producers and supply chain representatives are concerned, and rightly so, about the effects on supporting wine in the European Cancer Plan, and the report of the BeCa Commission that to date, does not distinguish between consumption and abuse of alcoholic beverages. Up until now, the alarm raised about the real impact has been louder, even though the issue should not be underestimated. Paolo de Castro, MEP and member of the Agriculture Commission of the EU Parliament explained the situation today, in a webinar (promoted by Alleanza delle Cooperative). “We must be careful to not confuse recommendations with legislative acts. The former are sacrosanct”, said De Castro, “but there is a big difference between putting the same labels on wine bottles as the ones on packs of cigarettes. The results and assessments of the BeCa Commission are not completed, as the assembly will be voting in full session in February. At that time there will be an important initiative to correct the approach that has arisen concerning alcohol, and it is essential to emphasize the difference between use and abuse, which is central to the difference in approaches between Northern Europe and the Mediterranean Countries, where consumption is usually moderate. I hope recommendations will be improved to be more in keeping with the Mediterranean culture, typical of Southern European Countries. All of this is based on future legislative acts yet to be written. I don’t expect there will be any particular changes in the short term on wine or labeling”.