For many years, spiritsEUROPE and its members – from national associations to international companies and SMEs – have very much benefitted from the bi-annual, structured exchange with the European Commission in form of the Civil Dialogue Group (CDG). Twice a year, representatives of spirits drinks producers have engaged in lively discussions on current and upcoming policy initiatives, highlighted ongoing work within the sector to inspire and compliment policy and to discuss challenges and opportunities for European spirit drinks and the European agricultural sector. Often, DG AGRI is joined by representatives from other DGs to include and consider various points of view on often complex policy matters. In short, it’s been a system that has been working well and benefitted both the institutional interlocutors and the stakeholder community.
In early August, the Commission surprisingly issued a decision to bring this established, well-working and much appreciated structure to a halt, a development which spiritsEUROPE is greatly concerned about. Whilst it appears possible to hold ad-hoc meetings when needed and justified – albeit only virtual – spiritsEUROPE stresses that it is in the structured – also personal - exchange with fixed dates, that members see a huge benefit as it allows for the most democratic way of engagement. Also, the EU’s spirits sector is under a lot of pressure: after the covid crisis – linked closely to the tremendous distress of the hospitality sector, the war in Ukraine and trade disputes, to name a few, the European Commission is preparing policy which will significantly impact on our sector. These initiatives range from the revision of the Food Information to Consumers Regulation to excise duty policy, the development of an EU framework for sustainable food systems, the ongoing revision of GI legislation, the upcoming revision of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive to potential rules impacting on our sector’s R&D efforts in the scope of the no/low segment. Thus, in a time of an especially challenged sector and a very dense regulatory agenda, spiritsEUROPE calls on the Commission to maintain the current structure and to continue to allow for structured, bi-annual CDG meetings.
