“Winegrowing is essential in Europe”, that’s for SURe

s a loss in wine output acceptable for a crop deemed non-essential for food sovereignty? That is in essence the claim made by an impact study on SUR, aka the Sustainable Use Regulation on pesticides (which aims for a 50% reduction in plant protection usage by 2035). The study, which was published by the European Commission on July 5, is based on Dutch research conducted at the end of 2021 and estimates that the highest yield loss would affect the French wine industry, as compared with -20% for Italy and -15% for Spain. Brussels, however, claims that the “most significant effect on yield [would involve] crops which have a limited relevance for food and animal safety, such as grapes, hops and tomatoes”.

The findings have caused outrage among “organisations representing the European wine industry” who claim in a press release that “this attitude is totally inacceptable” and that “Yes, winegrowing is essential for Europe”. French (farming co-operatives, independent winegrowers, AOP and IGP wines, national farmers’ union FNSEA…), Spanish (national wine federation, Spanish wine marketing board…) and Italian (Assoenologi, Coldiretti, Federvini, Unione Italiana Vini…) organisations have declared that “these statements overlook the huge economic, social and cultural contribution of the wine industry in many regions of the European Union”.

They go on to add that “it is incomprehensible that the European Commission should aim to penalise an entire sector of considerable importance for the European economy. Wine companies have long made a commitment to environmental transition and will continue to do so. There is still a lot of work to be done and our producers must be able to continue this pledge to environmental sustainability without any futile controversies”.