Verheugen: ‘Made in Malta’ label on table for island’s wine producers

Date: 26/09/02

ENLARGEMENT chief Günter Verheugen has indicated he may grant Maltese wine producers a temporary reprieve from EU classification rules to protect the island's agricultural sector.

The European Commission is studying a request from Valletta to market the country's wine with a 'made in Malta' label after it joins the Union, even though grape-must imported from Italy is one of the drink's key ingredients.

The Maltese wish to subsidise the grape-must and allow their producers to add sugar to their mix to bring the alcohol content up to minimum international specifications for wine.

Verheugen said talks with Malta's government on the issue are ongoing and 'it is too early to assess their outcome'.

Yet, replying to a question from MEP Astrid Lulling, he held out the possibility that Malta's request would be granted on a temporary basis, provided this would not involve any substantial change to the EU's rules or policies or lead to significant distortions of competition.

When analysing the request, he said: 'The Commission must take into account the exceptional small scale of Malta's agriculture, the specific natural constraints of the island and the existing differences between producer prices for local produce and Union produce.'

Enlargement Commissioner Günter Verheugen has indicated he may grant Maltese wine producers a temporary reprieve from EU classification rules to protect the island's agricultural sector.