Beca, also no from Confagricoltura arrives: “for wine, unacceptable worsening of measures”

In Europe, there is a theme that makes people discuss a lot, and it is the revision of Beca (Beating Cancer Plan) to which the world of beverage looks carefully at a complex historical moment for the sector. In the Staff Working Document that the EU Commission signed on February, 4th, strategies to reduce many risky factors, including “the damaging alcohol consumption”, are discussed (but, for the report, smoking, obesity, the lack of physical activity, the exposition to pollutants, and to radiations, and so on, ed). Proposals regarding alcohol consumption complete with tax increase, limitations to communication and promotion turned on an alarm bell in the sector. Criticism to the document has already arrived by Unione Italiana Vini (Uiv), Coldiretti, and Filiera Italia, Cia - Agricoltori Italiani, and Città del Vino, and to the list, also Confagricoltura is added.
President of Fnp Vino of Confagricoltura, Christian Marchesini, explained that “the topics of the recent document by Eu Commission for the amendment of the plan 2021, Beating Cancer (Beca), are even detrimental compared to the Plan of three years ago, already rejected by the European Parliament. For wine sector, already dealing with a difficult period for the threat of duties, the drop in consumption, and the strong uncertainties about the future, a worsening of measures is unacceptable in these terms”.
Marchesini clarified that “we don’t oppose to the inspiring principles of Beca, but wine is, first of all, culture, deriving from agricultural practices enriching the territories, an element strictly linked to the concept of Mediterranean Diet Humanity Heritage, and, therefore, it can’t be compared to a simple alcoholic beverage”.
Confagricoltura states that “the European Commission is preparing new measures regarding the accessibility of products (such as prices, taxation, and cross-border purchases), the information to consumers, and the regulation of the advertisement of alcoholic drinks”, and it appeals to “Italian members of European Parliament to bring the discussions about a document going against a vital sector for Italian and European economy at a scientific a pragmatic level again”.