Health information on the dangers of
alcohol abuse is OK on proposed new Irish labels for bottles of
wine, beer and spirit but there should be no stigma attached to
wine drinking, which is healthy in moderation, Farm and Food
Sovereignty Minister Francesco Lollobrigida said after a meeting
with Irish counterpart Charlie McConalogue on the sidelines of
an EU farm ministers' gathering Monday.
Italy has protested against the proposed cigarette-like
labelling and has said it will ask the EU to put the matter to
the World Trade Organization if necessary.
Italian wine producers, who fear exports being hit by the
labelling especially if other EU countries follow suit, have
said they will make common cause with their counterparts in
France and Spain and other leading wine making countries.
Lollobrigida, who has also announced action with Helath Minister
Orazio Schillaci, said Monday that Rome was in the process of
drafting a joint document with Paris and Madrid.
Lollobrigida, who is the grand-nephew of late screen diva Gina
Lollobrigida, said after his talks with McConalogue that "we
were able to explain our arguments on what must be a correct
system of information that explains that excessive use of
alcohol, like excessive use of anything else, causes damage but
they must not become a stigma for products which when consumed
in moderation may in fact be factors of wellbeing, and that is
what wine is for us".
Lollobrigida said that Italian food and wine exports amounted to
an annual 60 billion euros and said he supported wine producers
in their anxiety over the proposed Irish labels and the
possibility they may spread.
League party MP Mirco Carloni said after meeting wine producers
Monday that the League would "defend the sector in all fora".
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