The European Union aids winemakers via National Support Programs (NSP) primarily to boost competitiveness and meet environmental benchmarks. However, the effectiveness of these efforts remains in question.
The majority of the NSP funds (50%) were used for the restructuring and conversion of vineyards. A permit system for vine plantings was intended to prevent production surpluses. However, upon examination, the Court of Auditors found significant shortcomings in the design and implementation of the measures taken, leading to doubts about whether these funds have truly increased the competitiveness of winemakers.
There is also a need to catch up in achieving environmental goals: only 5% of the allocated funds for viticulture must be used for climate objectives. In the case of fruits and vegetables, the proportion is 15%, and in the Common Agricultural Policy, a share of 40% is envisaged.
"The ambition will remain rather modest."
"Promoting the competitiveness of the wine industry in the EU is essential. However, improved competitiveness should also be accompanied by better environmental compatibility. And here, the ambition will remain rather modest. Thus, EU member states must allocate at least 5% of their expenditures in the wine sector to environmental and climate objectives under the Common Agricultural Policy, which is much less than in other agricultural sectors," says Elvinger.
