In April, EU Commissioner for the Internal Market Fritz Bolkestein, was bent on presenting a report on alcohol excise duties in the EU, but the highly controversial survey was put on hold at the very last minute. It highlighted two situations, First, it noted the extent to which the tax rates differ from one Member State to another, particularly in the case of wine. Secondly, the minimum rates of excise duty established in 1993 have never been updated. The plan was to introduce a minimum rate for wine, whereas the Member States are not currently compelled to apply excise duties to this sector. After learning about the Commissioner's aspirations, the CEEV (EU Committee for Wine Industry) saw red and embarked upon a serious lobbying campaign. The CEEV claims "the draft report is not objective" and doesn't form part of the Commission's policy area.
