Government urged to maintain prosecco stance

Lee McLean, Australian Grape & Wine CEO, has called on the Australian Government to stand firm in safeguarding the rights of Australian grape growers and winemakers to continue their use of the grape variety name prosecco. This comes as the Minister for Trade, Senator the Hon Don Farrell, continues talks with the European Union on the sidelines of the G7 Trade Ministers’ meeting in Osaka.

McLean called for the government to protect the rights of Australian wine producers to use prosecco as a grape variety name both in Australia and abroad, saying undermining this right will be a “detrimental setback” for the Australian wine industry.

“As the industry continues to suffer from crippling trade disruptions, the global pandemic and various weather events in recent years, the growth of prosecco has been a shining light and lifeline for so many Australian producers.

“The Australian wine industry wholeheartedly supports expanded trade through free trade agreements that provide commercial benefit and meaningful market access for the Australian wine industry,” McLean said.

The previous round of negotiations stalled because proposals from the EU fell short of industry expectations.

“The Australian wine industry has significantly more to lose than it stands to gain from this trade agreement as it currently stands. Prosecco has grown rapidly, with annual production valued at $200 million a year. Any deal that places constraints on our existing market access would reduce this value, limit future growth, stifle innovation and contradict the very purpose of a free trade agreement,” McLean said.

The wine industry has been working with the government on this agreement for many years and believes there is no reason to rush it if it is not in the best interests of the wine sector and the broader agricultural industry.

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