Press Release: Inquiry into parafiscal charge to promote wine in Portugal

The European Commission decided on 1 December 2004 to launch a formal inquiry into certain aspects of the work of Portugal's Instituto da Vinha e do Vinho (IVV), and in particular measures funded using the proceeds of a 'wine promotion' parafiscal charge, and into the possible discriminatory nature of that charge. The inquiry was planned to focus on the fact that the charge, which had been introduced in 1995 to finance the work of the IVV, was also levied on wine from other Member States but the latter did not appear to draw the same benefit from activities financed by the charge as vine products of Portuguese origin.