French warn Irish bottle labelling sets ‘dangerous precedent’

French wine exporters have criticised Ireland’s plans to require extensive health labelling on alcoholic beverages that received the European Commission’s stamp of approval in January, saying it sets a dangerous precedent and could distort competition on the EU single market.

Wines and spirits sold in Ireland must be labelled with messages similar to those on cigarette packets from 22 May 2026. “I am delighted that other countries are following our example,” said Irish Health Minister Stephen Donnelly after the Commission’s green light.

However, Ireland’s move is not to the liking of everyone, especially French and European wine exporters.

“This measure represents a sharp break with the framework of the single market”, Nicolas Ozanam, General Delegate of the French Federation of Wines and Spirits Exports, FEVS, told EURACTIV France.

Also read: Italy forms coalition against wine ‘health labels’ in Ireland

Food labelling rules are generally approved at the EU rather than the national level, as they would risk fragmenting the single market by creating different marketing requirements.

“The European Commission’s decision is a slap in the face. It sets an extremely dangerous precedent”, Ozanam added.

This position is shared by the Brasseurs de France association as well as French MEP Irène Tolleret (Renew), co-chair of the European Parliament’s Wine, Spirits and Food Intergroup.

“The introduction of national rules would have the effect of disrupting consumers’ understanding of the message and reducing the impact of the health message itself,” the French brewery association said, while Tolleret bemoaned “the Commission’s decision to allow Ireland to put ‘alcohol kills’ labels on wine as it does on tobacco” on Twitter.

“A decision that hinders the single market and penalises winegrowers,” she added.

Backing from Italy, Spain

France is counting on the backing of Italy and Spain, as the three countries, which account for a combined 47% of global wine sales, are working on a joint document to oppose the Irish legislation.

“We consider Ireland’s action to be incorrect because it is one thing to inform and invite moderation, which we believe to be right; it is quite another to say that a product, whatever the quantity consumed, is bad for your health”, said Italy’s Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida.

The text represents a “risk of compromising the coherent harmonisation of European Union legislation. Member states should not adopt legislation on issues already harmonised by EU legislation”, according to Spain’s regulatory wine association, CECRV.

However, the European Commission considers that the future health regulations will not undermine the internal market, contrary to the Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins (CEEV) – an association representing European wine companies.

“The provisions included in the Irish labelling regulations are incompatible with current Community law and constitute an unjustified and disproportionate barrier to trade within the framework of Community legislation”, the association’s president, Mauricio González-Gordon, has said.

While the future Irish law should apply within three years, the FEVS delegate general hopes to see the legislative framework reconsidered by 2026, either by Ireland or by the European Commission.

Ireland is among Europe’s biggest alcohol consumers and records 1,000 new cases of alcohol-related cancers yearly, according to figures from Action Alcohol Ireland.

The new labels will include messages such as “Drinking alcohol causes liver disease” and “There is a direct link between alcohol and fatal cancers”. Nutritional values and calorie numbers must also be made visible to the consumer.

(Clara Bauer-Babef | EURACTIV.fr)