BRUSSELS -
"We had the opportunity to explain our reasons on what a correct information system should be that explains that excesses of alcohol,
like excesses of anything else, bring harm but that they must not become a stigma for some products that taken in a moderate way they can instead be factors of well-being, for us wine is just that".
Thus the agriculture minister Francesco Lollobrigida on the sidelines of the EU Agriculture Council and after a meeting with his Irish counterpart Charlie McConalogue, on the subject of the labeling of alcohol.
"I spoke with the ministers of Spain and France, we have prepared a joint document
that will also be signed by other nations directly involved" in the matter of the label with health warnings on alcohol notified by Ireland in Brussels, "I spoke about it with my colleague Greek, with the Portuguese one, to have a common position that is aimed at correctly informing but not damaging products by reducing them to a single aspect", said the minister.
"For us Italians, wine is important from the point of view of the market and we don't hide it
- underlined Lollobrigida -, but often everything boils down to defending a market and I believe Europe must make a leap in quality, that is, always be more capable of respecting cultures and traditions often linked to food and wine by looking at the products in their broadest sense".
T he
question of the labeling of spirits must be resolved within the EU
, "any unilateral approach honestly does not seem suitable to me", said the
Spanish Minister of Agriculture Luis Planas
arriving at the Council in Brussels.
"We must preserve the single market and this means having a common approach
- Planas said - we respect the competences of the Member States in matters of health, however here we are regulating a food product recognized by the EU's functioning treaty, we asked the Commission to pronounce on this issue, I know that there is a group of member states who are considering an appeal to the WTO, but this is a problem that we must resolve as a family, within the EU and any unilateral approach honestly does not seem appropriate to me ".
"
There are already awareness campaigns on moderate alcohol consumption underway in all countries,
the idea of adding more does not seem balanced to us and we disagree with our Irish friends on this", said the
French minister of agriculture Marc Fesneau
upon arrival at the EU Council.
"Then we will see the debate, but on the subject France is on the position already expressed by my Spanish and Italian colleague", concluded Fesneau.