Vinegar producers: EU legislation is needed to protect all types, not just wine vinegar

For the European Union, only wine vinegar seems to 'exist'. For all other types, which are becoming increasingly popular, starting with our Balsamic vinegar - PGI and PDO which, given their success, must continually defend themselves against imitation attempts - there is no 'harmonised definition' in EU law. This exists exclusively for wine vinegar, while all other types of vinegar remain governed by heterogeneous national regulations. A 'regulatory hole' and fragmentation, producers complain, which 'in a context of increasingly intense international trade, generates distortions of competition, uncertainty for operators and confusion for consumers'.

This was discussed at a meeting at the European Parliament, on the initiative of MEP Stefano Bonaccini, dedicated to the sector, where it emerged 'the need to introduce a unitary European definition for production, denominations and labelling, filling a regulatory gap that affects a fast-growing sector,' Federvini explained in a note.

"The sector is calling for a standard, a clear definition of the term vinegar. The vinegar product is experiencing a very positive moment: it is natural, linked to the territory, with multiple uses. It is growing all over the world and Italy and Europe are great producers,' said Sabrina Federzoni, President of the Vinegar Group of Federvini. 'Today we lack a clear definition that identifies what vinegar is and what it is not. Our goal is to have a European definition that makes information transparent to consumers and allows them to understand what they are actually buying.

The economic and international weight of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, one of the main ambassadors of Italian food products in the world, was also emphasised during the discussion. "Our product exports more than 92% of its volume," emphasised Cesare Mazzetti, President of the Consortium for the Protection of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, "It is the Italian geographical indication product that exports the most. We have a presence in more than 100 countries around the world and are known as the ambassador of good Italian eating".

The discussion was also attended by Valéry Brabant, President of the European Vinegar Association (EVA), which brings together producer associations from several Member States, and French MEP Céline Imart, who is involved with Bonaccini in the current legislative process.