The wine-growers are pressing the government to " urgently review " its crisis budget to extend the number of companies eligible for social security contribution exemptions and " prevent anger from breaking out " in the vineyards.
The government presented a new budget for 2020 last week, the third amending finance bill (PLFR) drafted since the start of the crisis caused by the Covid-19 epidemic, in order to inject billions of euros in the hardest hit sectors. This “ should be an opportunity to implement extensive support for the wine sector in the form of exemptions from social security contributions in line with the crisis it is undergoing. In the end, viticulture will be almost excluded, ”deplore in a press release the General Association of Wine Production (AGPV) and the first agricultural union FNSEA. “ Little by little, disappointment and even resentment take hold in the vineyards. The government must urgently review its copy», They add.
Already penalized by the taxes imposed by the United States in October in the context of an aeronautics dispute, the winegrowers believe that the health crisis has generated a shortfall of " at least 1.5 billion euros Due to the shutdown of bars, restaurants, festive gatherings and tourism. The organizations criticize the government for planning to grant exemptions " only to companies that have suffered a loss of turnover [turnover] of at least 80% between March 15 and May 15 ".
"Prevent anger from breaking out"
They plead for a " device for exemption from contributions specific to vitiviniculture which concerns a greater number of holdings ". And match their message with a warning: " This is the condition to prevent anger from erupting ". In detail, the sector requests an “ exemption up to 50% for all companies in the sector regardless of their size ” and an “ exemption up to 100% beyond 60% loss of turnover between March 15 and May 15 ".
Last month, in addition to the promise of exemption from employer contributions for " companies in the wine sector particularly affected by the economic and health crisis ", the government announced 170 million euros in " exceptional and sector-specific support measures », Mainly in the form of distillation aid. The State thus subsidizes the transformation of unsold wines into alcohol which will be used in the manufacture of bioethanol, perfumes or hydroalcoholic gel.