Press Release: European Commission and Australia initial new wine agreement

European Commission and Australian negotiators initialled a new bilateral agreement on trade in wine at a ceremony in Canberra on 5 June 2007. The initialling is the result of long and detailed negotiations to replace the current agreement, which dates from 1994. It must now be approved by the Council of Ministers and the Australian authorities, before being signed. The agreement safeguards the EU's wine labelling regime, gives full protection to EU geographical indications, including for wines intended to be exported, and includes a clear Australian commitment to protect EU traditional expressions. It will also provide for the phasing out by Australia of the use of a number of important EU names such as Champagne and Port within a year of the agreement coming into force.

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