62% of production winegrowing world comes from the European Union (EU), where the sector employs almost 3 million people and where it reached a contribution of 130,000 million euros to the GDP of the community club in 2022, as announced this Wednesday by the European Committee of Wine Companies (CEEV).
These data, which are the result of a study carried out by the consulting firm PwC – commissioned by CEEV – show that “The wine sector plays a fundamental role in the socioeconomic sustainability of rural areas in the EU”, defended the president of this organization, Mauricio González-Gordon.
According to the study, wine regions tend to experience less demographic decline, as most of the jobs – which account for 1.4% of total EU employment – are found in rural areas.
The wine sector directly contributed to 2.9 million jobs in 2022 through viticulture (18%)winemaking (7%) and marketing (75%).
On an economic level, vineyards are a fifteen% more profitable than other permanent crops, which, according to González-Gordon, makes this product a “blessing against rural depopulation.”
Wine is also the second most exported agri-food product in the EU, registering exports worth 17.9 billion euros in 2022 and a positive trade balance of 15.9 billion.
Likewise, the total fiscal impact generated by the wine sector amounted to almost 52 billion in 2022 that same year, which is equivalent to 0.7% of EU public spending.
The report also highlights that wine has become a tourist attraction and, consequently, a “key economic catalyst” in many rural regions, generating almost 15 billion euros in income.
On the other hand, the text defends that the more than 3.2 million hectares of vineyards in the EU, “contribute to environmental sustainability”, given that “increases biodiversity, limits soil erosion, improves water management and provides protection against fires.”
Although the general secretary of CEEV, Ignacio Sánchez, assured that the overall balance of wine in the community club is “clearly positive”considered that the sector should have greater support through the adaptation of the “complex legal framework” which applies to wine.
“Harm the came of the EU is to harm the culture, society and economy of the EU,” Sánchez defended.
It may interest you
Source: Gestion
Ricardo is a renowned author and journalist, known for his exceptional writing on top-news stories. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he is known for his ability to deliver breaking news and insightful analysis on the most pressing issues of the day.
