Wine
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. EU is the leading producer in the World
. 157 million hectolitres/yr (2014-18) . 65% of world production . 60% of global consumption . 70% of exports |
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The European Union is the world leading producer of wine. Average production between 2020 and 2025 was 157 million hectolitres (-15%). It accounts for 44% of world wine-growing areas, 60% of production, 48% of global consumption and 70% of exports in global terms.
The EU’s wine policy is designed to support and protect grape growers, wine makers, traders and consumers through policy, legislation, labelling, trade measures and market monitoring. The wine sector is strategically important for the EU: between 2020 and 2025 average annual production was 157 million hectolitres; in 2023 the EU accounted for 44% of global wine-growing areas, over 60% of production and 48% of consumption; and wine represented 7.3% of EU agri-food export value in 2024, making it the third-largest EU agri-food export sector according to Monitoring EU agri-food trade, February 2025.
At the core of the policy is a balance between competitiveness, market stability and preservation of traditional wine regions. The major 2008 reform, later incorporated into the 2013 single CMO, aimed to strengthen the competitiveness and reputation of EU wines, simplify market-management rules, improve the balance between supply and demand, and preserve the social and environmental role of viticulture in rural areas. More recently, the sector has had to adapt to declining and shifting demand, climate and market pressures, and changing consumer trends. These challenges were addressed in the Policy recommendations for the future of the EU wine sector issued by the High-Level Group on Wine Policy in December 2024, and then translated into a Proposal on amending Regulations (EU) No 1308/2013, (EU) 2021/2115 and (EU) No 251/2014 on certain market rules and sectoral support measures in the wine sector and for aromatised wine products.
A key instrument is the vine planting authorisation system. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/273 established a system for the orderly growth of EU vineyards through authorisations for vine planting between 2016 and 2030, enabling competitive producers to increase production within certain limits. Regulation (EU) 2021/2117 extended the scheme until 2045, with Commission reviews planned for 2028 and 2040. The safeguard mechanism limits new plantings to a maximum annual growth of 1% of a Member State’s vine area, while allowing stricter national or regional limits where justified, including in areas with or without designation of origin or geographical indication.
The policy also includes substantial wine support programmes for producing Member States. These support measures include promotion in non-EU countries, information campaigns on responsible wine consumption and EU quality schemes, restructuring and conversion of vineyards, green harvesting, mutual funds, harvest insurance, investments in enterprises, innovation, and by-product distillation. The yearly allocations are fixed by country from the EU budget.
Another major pillar is the protection of quality, origin and presentation. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33 regulates the harmonised EU system of labelling and presentation, while also protecting the link between wines and their territories through designations of origin, geographical indications and traditional terms. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/934 complements this by defining the authorised oenological practices and restrictions applicable to the production and conservation of grapevine products in the EU.
The EU also treats wine as an important trade policy sector. To facilitate trade with non-EU countries, the Commission negotiates wine-related provisions through bilateral and free trade agreements. In 2024, the EU remained the world’s leading wine exporter by volume, accounting for half of total global exports.
The policy also protects wine names and geographical origin through the eAmbrosia database, which contains the register of EU designations of origin and geographical indications, as well as protected non-EU names covered by bilateral wine agreements. The Commission notes that 88% of EU vineyards are dedicated to the production of PDO and PGI wines.
Finally, the EU also protects traditional terms used for wine, such as terms describing production or ageing methods, colour, place or historical associations, where these are linked to wines with a protected origin. The detailed list is available in the Specifications on the Traditional Terms protected in the EU. The general legal basis is in Articles 112 and 113 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, while the protection procedures are laid down in Regulation (EU) 2019/33 and Regulation (EU) 2019/34.
Overall, EU wine policy combines market management, structural support, controlled vineyard expansion, trade strategy and protection of quality-linked names in order to keep the sector competitive while preserving its rural, cultural and economic importance.
At the core of the policy is a balance between competitiveness, market stability and preservation of traditional wine regions. The major 2008 reform, later incorporated into the 2013 single CMO, aimed to strengthen the competitiveness and reputation of EU wines, simplify market-management rules, improve the balance between supply and demand, and preserve the social and environmental role of viticulture in rural areas. More recently, the sector has had to adapt to declining and shifting demand, climate and market pressures, and changing consumer trends. These challenges were addressed in the Policy recommendations for the future of the EU wine sector issued by the High-Level Group on Wine Policy in December 2024, and then translated into a Proposal on amending Regulations (EU) No 1308/2013, (EU) 2021/2115 and (EU) No 251/2014 on certain market rules and sectoral support measures in the wine sector and for aromatised wine products.
A key instrument is the vine planting authorisation system. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/273 established a system for the orderly growth of EU vineyards through authorisations for vine planting between 2016 and 2030, enabling competitive producers to increase production within certain limits. Regulation (EU) 2021/2117 extended the scheme until 2045, with Commission reviews planned for 2028 and 2040. The safeguard mechanism limits new plantings to a maximum annual growth of 1% of a Member State’s vine area, while allowing stricter national or regional limits where justified, including in areas with or without designation of origin or geographical indication.
The policy also includes substantial wine support programmes for producing Member States. These support measures include promotion in non-EU countries, information campaigns on responsible wine consumption and EU quality schemes, restructuring and conversion of vineyards, green harvesting, mutual funds, harvest insurance, investments in enterprises, innovation, and by-product distillation. The yearly allocations are fixed by country from the EU budget.
Another major pillar is the protection of quality, origin and presentation. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33 regulates the harmonised EU system of labelling and presentation, while also protecting the link between wines and their territories through designations of origin, geographical indications and traditional terms. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/934 complements this by defining the authorised oenological practices and restrictions applicable to the production and conservation of grapevine products in the EU.
The EU also treats wine as an important trade policy sector. To facilitate trade with non-EU countries, the Commission negotiates wine-related provisions through bilateral and free trade agreements. In 2024, the EU remained the world’s leading wine exporter by volume, accounting for half of total global exports.
The policy also protects wine names and geographical origin through the eAmbrosia database, which contains the register of EU designations of origin and geographical indications, as well as protected non-EU names covered by bilateral wine agreements. The Commission notes that 88% of EU vineyards are dedicated to the production of PDO and PGI wines.
Finally, the EU also protects traditional terms used for wine, such as terms describing production or ageing methods, colour, place or historical associations, where these are linked to wines with a protected origin. The detailed list is available in the Specifications on the Traditional Terms protected in the EU. The general legal basis is in Articles 112 and 113 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, while the protection procedures are laid down in Regulation (EU) 2019/33 and Regulation (EU) 2019/34.
Overall, EU wine policy combines market management, structural support, controlled vineyard expansion, trade strategy and protection of quality-linked names in order to keep the sector competitive while preserving its rural, cultural and economic importance.
The EU wine database
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e-Bacchus Database is the EU Register of wine. The protected wines of the 27 EU countries and 15 third countries are listed in this database.
In this EU database you will find information on: |
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Rules on DOP-IGP-AOP-PDO-PGI-G.U.-G.G.A. and Register Page
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The EU established its rules within the Commission Regulation (EC) No 33/2019 on protection of designations of origin, geographical indications and traditional terms in the wine sector, the objection procedure, restrictions of use, amendments to product specifications, cancellation of protection, labelling and presentation.
Enter in this page, consult the european rules and register your wine. |
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List of National Authorities on Wine
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There is an European Network for wine sector, enlarged to the third countries.
This network brings together the authorities appointed by the countries for the preparation and application of the regulation. |
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Production
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