On 27 September, FEDERVINI, together with leading European and international wine and spirits organisations including spiritsEUROPE, organised a panel debate at the sidelines of the G7 Agriculture Ministers’ Summit in Syracuse. Entitled "The Wine & Spirits Sector: Creating Value in a Spirit of Moderation" the debate served to discuss with policy makers and organisations present at the G7 the rich social, cultural, gastronomic and economic value of both sectors, in particular to rural communities, and formulate a set of forward-looking policy recommendations.
In the G7 countries, the wine and spirits sectors are trusted partners for sustainable agricultural and rural development. Every day, thousands of wine and spirits producers, large and small, support the prosperity and well-being of countless rural communities, creating jobs, growth and economic benefits throughout the agri-food chain and beyond. The connections between the wine and spirits sector and the farming communities and regions it represents are deep, and many of them date back hundreds of years. Today, they are strengthened by more recent phenomena, such as the fast growth of spirits tourism, the younger sister of oenotourism, which once again is going from strength to strength and has turned into a veritable win-win for rural areas.
The event provided a unique opportunity to discuss and reflect on policy priorities to enable the sustainable growth of both sectors in the years to come. Among the key issues highlighted was the need to facilitate the harmonisation of regulatory standards and the strengthening of the legal protection of quality products. As export-driven sectors, a vital role of the G7 is to support international trade based on common rules and to work together to remove unjustified market access barriers. The conference was also an important opportunity to stress the importance of joining forces to raise awareness of responsible and balanced consumption, underlining the need to develop balanced and evidence-based policies that adequately distinguish between moderate consumption and alcohol misuse, and to promote constructive dialogue and exchange of best practices between stakeholders.
The event marked an important starting point for future dialogue and work in the context of the G7. For that purpose, a set of 7 policy recommendations to the G7 for the wine & spirits sector was formulated which read as follows:
Ulrich Adam, Director General*
*In his capacity as permanent representative of SPRL ADLOR Consulting
