AS THE SAYING GOES, POTATO, POTOTO
Arguing over what ingredients can be used to make “real” vodka has left two opposing factions in the European Commission. The issue is threatening to cause full-scale battles between several EU member states, as new proposals for defining spirit drinks come through the Commission.
Poland has led a delegation including Sweden, Finland, the Baltic states and Germany, demanding that true vodka can only be made from potatoes or cereals. Anything else, they claim, doesn’t hold true and should be labeled as a copy. Opponents
The European Vodka Alliance says that calls to restrict the raw materials that can be used to make vodka would damage Europe’s vodka trade. The restrictions, they believe, could not be justified on grounds of tradition or consumer protection, and the move is merely an attempt to gain ground in Europe’s fastest growing vodka market. On the EVA’s side are the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands.
Most of the taste from the raw materials is lost during vodka distillation, which takes place at around 96% alcohol by volume. Many countries have been making vodka out of different raw materials – such as wine grapes – for awhile now. Furthermore, the EVA say that tradition should play little part because Sweden only launched its first vodka product in 1958, and Finland in 1965.
The EVA also mentioned that imposing such restrictions could bring the Commission into another battle at the World Trade Organization.
The U.S. will likely fight any restrictions since we have no such laws, and they may hurt U.S. imports, causing retaliation. The U.S. is one of the world’s largest vodka markets and takes a huge chunk of EU vodka imports.
So far, the European Commission's proposal on spirit drinks agrees largely with the EVA position to continue with the status quo. The opposition will be fueled, however, since Finland is about to take over the EU presidency for the next six months.
Poland has led a delegation including Sweden, Finland, the Baltic states and Germany, demanding that true vodka can only be made from potatoes or cereals. Anything else, they claim, doesn’t hold true and should be labeled as a copy. Opponents
The European Vodka Alliance says that calls to restrict the raw materials that can be used to make vodka would damage Europe’s vodka trade. The restrictions, they believe, could not be justified on grounds of tradition or consumer protection, and the move is merely an attempt to gain ground in Europe’s fastest growing vodka market. On the EVA’s side are the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands.
Most of the taste from the raw materials is lost during vodka distillation, which takes place at around 96% alcohol by volume. Many countries have been making vodka out of different raw materials – such as wine grapes – for awhile now. Furthermore, the EVA say that tradition should play little part because Sweden only launched its first vodka product in 1958, and Finland in 1965.
The EVA also mentioned that imposing such restrictions could bring the Commission into another battle at the World Trade Organization.
The U.S. will likely fight any restrictions since we have no such laws, and they may hurt U.S. imports, causing retaliation. The U.S. is one of the world’s largest vodka markets and takes a huge chunk of EU vodka imports.
So far, the European Commission's proposal on spirit drinks agrees largely with the EVA position to continue with the status quo. The opposition will be fueled, however, since Finland is about to take over the EU presidency for the next six months.
posted at 1:13 PM
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