SecondIt has been six months since Germany passed the new wine law. After years of unsuccessful struggles, the representatives of the grape growers and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture reached an agreement on the new version, which finally implemented the EU’s requirements for the new 2009 regulations.They voted last fall Bundestag And the Federal Council.
However, the new regulations did not bring about the calm that the wine industry hoped for. Quite the contrary: the law has been passed, but the winemakers are arguing like tinkers. The highest professional organization, the German Viticulture Association (DWV), stood in front of a pile of broken glass. The cooperative felt exploited and left. The German Prädikatsweingüter Association (VDP) expressed concerns about its large factories and threatened to “exit the process”. What quality standards should be used by the newly established “Conservation Society” of grape growers to ensure that the characteristics of origin desired by everyone become clear in their region. This question has considerable potential for controversy.
The cooperative of grape growers has not received attention
The culmination of the controversy so far: At the end of June, the central organization of the cooperative, the German Leiffessen Society (DRV), announced its withdrawal from the German Viticulture Society. Henning Ehlers, managing director of DRV at FAZ, said that in the positioning of the Viticulture Association, the position of the cooperative has hardly played a role recently. Cooperatives are often rejected: “We must accept democratic procedures.” The Viticulture Association is registered by politicians as the mouthpiece of the entire industry. However, if you are no longer aware of the status of the nearly 150 co-operatives of grape growers, which after all produce one-third of German wine and are the most important supplier of the industry, then this will no longer be accepted.
A few days after the establishment of the cooperative association, the Franconian Viticulture Association also issued a notice of termination. Although for different reasons, the Franconians also believe that the Viticulture Association no longer represents them.You are particularly troubled by the redistribution of funds in the plan: the funds from the EU support program-2 million euros-should be in accordance with the wishes of the EU Federal government It will be used in wine advertising in the future to stimulate weak exports. It sounds good, but it is unacceptable for the Swiss franc. After all, EU money could have been used for investment subsidies and restructuring-this would directly benefit the brewers. Hermann Schmitt, managing director of the FAZ Franconia Viticulture Association, said: “We currently lack export subsidies in the region.” He also criticized the German Viticulture Association for failing to prevent the redistribution of structural aid for export advertising. Despite the opposite resolution. Export subsidies are already high, but exports are still falling. “We are talking about analyzing the origin and promoting Riesling. That’s not together.”
