Alex Trelinski
SPAIN’S wine industry has applauded a U-turn from European politicians who ditched proposals to slap ‘cancer warning’ labels on wine bottles.
The European Parliament(EP) rolled back plans to mirror warnings used on tobacco products after lobbying led by Spanish MEPs.
Such a move would not have initially forced changes which would have to be agreed by the leaders of all 27 EU nations.
Nevertheless a pro-cancer warning vote would have had the potential to be incorporated as a proposal ‘up the chain’ by the European Commission.
Parliamentarians have now called for messages to be used on labels for people to enjoy wine moderately and responsibly.
Jose Luis Robrero from the Valencian Association of Farmers welcomed the change of heart.
“The EP has shown common sense and this could have caused irreparable damage to the image of wine.” he said.
MEPs have also removed a simple reference to ‘alcohol consumption leading to many cancers’ by adding the word ‘harmful’ to the start of the sentence.
“We have always advocated moderate consumption of wine which provides health benefits to the heart as part of the Mediterranean Diet’, added Luis Robrero.
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