The VITÆVINO Declaration, a European campaign for the protection of wine culture and conviviality promoted by the sector’s representative organizations CEEV, CEVI, COPA-COGECA and EFOW, was relaunched today in Italy by the sector’s national associations.
The VITÆVINO Declaration can now be subscribed to from the website www.vitaevino.org
The European campaign in support of the VITÆVINO Declaration, promoted at the continental level by several wine sector organizations, kicks off today in Italy.
Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins (CEEV), Confédération Européenne des Vignerons Indépendants (CEVI), COPA-COGECA and European Federation of Origin Wines (EFOW) the promoters.
The VITÆVINO Declaration is a European initiative to support the recognition of responsible and moderate wine consumption as part of a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
The campaign is particularly dedicated to defending the age-old culture of wine and its role in promoting conviviality.
It can be subscribed from today by logging on to the dedicated website www.vitaevino.org.
The Italian press conference
The Italian campaign was launched this morning in Rome during a press conference organized at the headquarters of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry by representatives of national associations representing the world of agriculture and viticulture.
The conference was attended by Albiera Antinori, President of Federvini’s Wine Group; Rita Babini, National Secretary FIVI – Federazione Italiana Vignaioli Indipendenti; Tommaso Battista, President Copagri; Riccardo Cotarella, President Assoenologi; Cristiano Fini, President CIA – Agricoltori Italiani; Lamberto Frescobaldi, President Unione Italiana Vini; Giangiacomo Gallarati Scotti Bonaldi, President Federdoc; Massimiliano Giansanti, President Confagricoltura; Ettore Prandini, President Coldiretti; and Luca Rigotti, Alleanza Cooperative Agroalimentari.
European initiatives
National events hosted in Austria, France, Germany, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Spain also took place to launch the project at the European level.
The initiative aims to defend the wine sector in a context of growing pressure from neo-prohibitionist movements worldwide.
The Declaration is designed to counter the growing stigma of wine consumption, often driven by incomplete or distorted scientific data that fails to distinguish between alcohol abuse and moderate wine consumption.
Pressure that has led in some cases to the formulation of unfair and one-sided regulations that threaten the sustainability of the rural communities in which wine producers operate and thus the entire wine sector.
Why the Declaration is important
Wine is more than just a drink: a symbol of Europe’s millennia-old tradition and culture, it plays a profound anthropological and historical role in the formation of societies.
Always linked to conviviality, it represents a founding element of cultural heritage and contributes greatly to Europe’s rural economy.
The Declaration calls on wine lovers, wine professionals and political representatives to support wine as a symbol of conviviality and to recognize its importance at the socioeconomic level and for the development of rural areas. Indeed, the activity of the wine industry is crucial to the conservation of these areas, supporting environmental protection and resilience and community involvement.
The Declaration emphasizes that wine, when consumed in moderation, plays a legitimate role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and should not be confused with alcohol abuse. This distinction is critical because misinformation threatens not only the wine industry but also the communities it supports.
Signing the VITÆVINO Declaration gives a voice to those who wish to protect the cultural heritage and economic importance of wine, and ensures that wine continues to be enjoyed in moderation by future generations.
The call to action for signing the Declaration
Wine lovers and supporters in Europe and around the world can support the Declaration, available in multiple languages, by signing it at www.vitaevino.org.
The size of the wine sector
Viticulture is confirmed as a sector of strategic importance for the national economy and in particular for the agri-food sector.
In terms of exports, Italy recorded 188 percent growth in the period 2003-2023, reaching a global market share of 22 percent last year.
