By Hamish Graham
Published: 23 February, 2026
The European Council has today (23 February) announced a “modernised policy framework” to support the EU wine indusattempt. The legislation covers a raft of measures including enhanced sustainability support, new no-alcohol wine definitions and updated labelling practices.
The policy update includes the EU providing financial assistance for climate-related investments (including both mitigation and adaptation). This support could reach up to 80% of costs for the “restructuring and conversion of vineyards”, according to the policy document, if it meets legislative requirements for ‘climate modify adaptation’.
Under the fresh legislative arrangement, products can be defined as ‘alcohol-free’ if the alcoholic content does not exceed 0.5% while it can be labelled ‘0.0%’ if the actual amount is not above 0.05%. ‘Reduced alcohol’ under the new framework is defined as alcohol content exceeding 0.5% and at being at least 30% under the minimum alcoholic strength of products in the category before de-alcoholisation.
Simplified labelling practices are also set to be introduced by the EU with the aim of “cutting administrative costs and facilitating cross-border trade”. Exported EU wine products to outside of the Union are set to be exempt from EU labelling requirements of ingredients and nutrition declarations typical for trade amongst EU countries.
Additionally, to balance supply and demand amid dampened wine consumption, the EU is allowing member states to “support measures such as grubbing-up of excess vines to prevent oversupply and maintain market stability”, according to the European Council.
Legislation dictates that for those who have been granted authorisation to plant new vineyards and do not do so within a set time window, typically would face administrative penalties. In light of the altering wine market, those who were authorised to plant new vineyards before 1 January 2025 and did not do so, will not be penalised.
For those growers who have been granted authority after this date, such penalties remain to “discourage speculative applications for such authorisations from winegrowers who have no intention of planting a vineyard”.
Other legislative modifys include bolstered investment for wine tourism, increased support for combatting plant diseases and relaxed rules surrounding ‘aromatised wine products’.
Maria Panayiotou, minister of agriculture, rural development and environment of the Republic of Cyprus reflected on the new legislation.
She commented: “By adopting the regulation on the wine sector today, less than a year after it was proposed by the Commission, the Council and the member states once again demonstrate that they listen carefully to farmers’ and the agricultural sector’s concerns and are ready to take effective action to address them.
“First, by providing clear and tarreceiveed political guidance to the Commission on the measures required, and second, by adopting those measures swiftly in cooperation with the European Parliament. This ensures that the sector can already benefit from them this year.”
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