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Nov. 7 - Nov.14, 2004 |
A Toast to Trade Agreements
The battle against mislabelling means no more European wine imitations in Canada
By Pier Paolo Bozzano
Originally Published: 2003-09-28
Very soon, although not immediately, Canadian winemakers will be forbidden the use of the traditional European names: there will be no more Valpolicellas, Chiantis, or Chablis produced in the Niagara peninsula.
In keeping of the historic agreement signed last week in Niagara Falls between Canada and the European Union, those names become taboo and DOC marks are finally recognized by our country, which opposed them for so long.
In exchange for this, the EU committed to recognizing brands and production methods of several Canadian products such as whisky or the famed Icewine.
This is "a great progress in trade relations between the EU and Canada." European Commissioner for Agriculture Franz Fischler thus saluted the bilateral agreement officially signed in Niagara Falls, offering protection to 21 names of European wines and spirits in our country.
The signature ceremony was attended by Fischler, Canada's Minister for International Trade Pierre Pettigrew, and Italy's Vice Minister for Production Activities (in charge of Foreign Trade) Adolfo Urso.
The agreement foresees three steps: right from the date of entry, the names "Bordeaux", "Chianti", "Claret", "Madeira", "Malaga", "Marsala", "Medoc", and "Moselle" will be reserved exclusively to wines produced in the respective production areas of Europe.
In regards to the names "Burgundy", "Rhein", and "Sauterne", they will be protected from December 31, 2008, and "Chablis", "Champagne", "Porto", and "Sherry" from December 31, 2013. Two years from now the Canadian market will bar the use of generic names "Grappa" and "Ouzo" for non-original products. On its part, the European Union undertakes to protect the names of two Canadian alcohols, "Rye Whisky" and "Icewine".
Coldiretti, Italy's largest association of farmers, called this agreement "a concrete step forward in the fight against mislabelling", a practice causing "damages for billions of euros to Italian farmers".
With a polemic reference to the recent failure of the World Trade Conference in Cancun, Mexico, Coldiretti remarked: "If, through bilateral discussions, our DOC and DOCG wines can be better protected, while WTO talks are stalled, we exhort the EU to start similar negotiations for the mutual recognition of our DOP and IGP food products such as 'Parmigiano Reggiano' or 'Prosciutto di Parma', subjected to unacceptable acts of international piracy." In particular, the authentic Prosciutto di Parma cannot at present be sold as such in Canada because the name was "hijacked" by a local producer who enjoys national protection.
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