Wine Law

CONSUMER PROTECTION RELATED TO WINE LAW 265 Regarding the broad guidelines, some of them specifically refer to wine as a consumer product. The first context to be mentioned is the consumer physical safety . On this issue, it indicates that all Member States should adopt measures to encourage suppliers to produce safe goods for either intended or normally foreseeable use. Following this, it is indicated that suppliers and distributors should notify the relevant authorities, as well as consumers in order to immediately avoid the consumption of products with hazards placed on the market, which must be changed for the ones with standard specifications. The next guideline is the promotion and protection of the economic interests of consumers , and the best way to secure the objective of this guideline is to provide optimum economic benefits to consumers using an effective competition environment with several possibilities of consumer choices. Furthermore, avoiding abusive practices and clauses as well as misleading and abusive advertising is another practice that should be reinforced in favour of the consumer’s better decision making. Standards for safety and quality of consumer goods and services is another broad guideline. The first aspect of this guideline is that the Member States should elaborate national standards to secure that national products and services have international or national levels of safety and quality. However, if the national industry does not have the technology to produce at international levels, the Member States should motivate a gradual improvement to achieve this international standard in the future. In the same way, education and information programs are of the other issues related to wine consumer protection, being more directed to Governments and consumer organisations to improve consumption education in the formal education system and also training programs for educators. Likewise, suppliers are also called to improve the products’ information in labels, packages, advertisings and any material produced to any means of communication. In the specific areas, although one of the mentioned issues is food, its description allows for its enforcement in the beverage sector, and thus the wine industry. The Resolution mentions that the Member States must adopt standards from the Food and Agriculture Organization’s and World Health Organization’s Codex Alimentarius as soon as possible, taking into account the needs of all consumers for food security. It is also indicated that the Member States should maintain, develop or improve food safety measures. Moreover, it is also suggested that the Member States should promote sustainable agricultural policies and practices, conservation of biodiversity and protection of soil and water, while also considering the communities’ traditional knowledge.