The European Parliament has approved further aid for the wine sector

MEPs on Tuesday approved plans to extend exceptional measures to help the wine sector in 2021. The aim of such measures is to deal with the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic and the US sanctions resulting from the dispute between Airbus and Boeing. The European Parliament informed about it. Exceptional measures will make it possible to increase the flexibility of national support programs co-financed by the EU, for example for the promotion of wine products, the reorganization of vineyards, investment in processing, innovation and marketing. "The European Parliament has taken an important step to ensure that the hard-hit wine sector continues to receive the help it needs and that it quickly reaches those in desperate need," said Norbert Lins, chairman of the Committee on Agriculture. In June 2020, the European Parliament approved a package of exceptional measures to help wine producers and fruit and vegetable growers. He then called on the EC to come with further assistance. In July, it adopted another package of exceptional measures for the wine sector. Following two separate World Trade Organization (WTO) decisions to support Airbus and Boeing, the US and the EU were entitled to collect each other's export duties. However, just before the end of 2020, the US government imposed additional tariffs on EU agri-food products. These were focused mainly on French and German still wines and spirits. In response, the chairman of the Committee on Agriculture called on the EC to start negotiations with the administration of the new US President Joe Biden with a view to declaring a ceasefire in the trade dispute between Airbus and Boeing.