07 June, 2002

No more champagne from down under

Australian vintners will quit their habit until now of naming certain of their sparkling wines champagne. A name, that the EU amongst many others wants to reserve for products, that originates in the region of the same name.

Australia on the orther hand will get protection of some of its own geographical names. Also certain techniques used by Australian vintners will be approved. Finally some of the bureaucracy, that you meet when exporting wines from down under to the EU will be simplified. All this is the result of a deal of last night between the European Commission and Australian officials in Canberra.

Australian wines are popular in the EU-countries. Wines worth 868 million euros in total are imported to the EU, and - in comparison - a trifle worth 62 million euros is exported to Australia, says French newsagency, AFP.

The deal most be approved by Australia and the 27 member states of the EU, before it can come into force in one year.

More about the defense of champagne here
More about trade between the EU and Australia here

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