“Teaming up” to preserve and relaunch an economic, social and cultural capital worth 30 billion euros, “starting first and foremost with a change of pace in Europe which, already from the political agendas of the next elections, will have to be less penalizing and more incentivizing for the wine sector”. This is the message launched by the national president of Cia-Agricoltori Italiani, Cristiano Fini, today at the inauguration of Vinitaly, scheduled at Veronafiere until 17 April.
“The Italian wine is certainly experiencing a difficult moment of transition – said Fini – there is the overtaking of France after 9 years at the top of world production and the change and decline in consumption with a further -3% per year, thanks to the change climate which weighs on yields and inflation which affects spending, the world of wine is currently also paying for the escalation of attacks and criminalisations, with the European proposals for labeling alcoholic beverages and health warnings on bottles, the hypotheses. of limitations on support and sponsorships, creating alarmism and misinformation, because there is no longer a distinction between correct, moderate, responsible consumption and abuse”.
For this reason, the president of Cia underlined, “this Vinitaly must serve to bring together the sector and ask everyone together to reorient EU policies from the new legislature, safeguarding the promotion funds for wine, focusing on the fight against the abuse of alcohol and, above all, avoiding restrictive or disproportionate measures that undermine wine communities and territories”.
In fact, Fini recalled, “the sector is strategic not only from an economic and employment point of view, recording a production of 14 billion thanks to 500 thousand companies and almost 900 thousand employees, but it has a social and cultural value, also representing traditions and customs of the territories , history, landscape and typical products, i.e. the assets of that food and wine tourism that is fundamental to the maintenance and development of rural and internal areas”. Now, concluded the president of Cia, “we must work to continue to grow the added value of such an important supply chain, from the field to the cellars”.