On 10 July 2026, the European Commission adopted a delegated regulation (C(2026)4713) supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, enabling Member States to grant national payments for wine distillation, green harvesting, and grubbing up of productive vineyards during justified market crises. The rules aim to provide a legal framework for crisis intervention while preventing market distortion, affecting wine growers, producers, distillers, and national authorities.
The delegated regulation, issued by the Commission's agriculture department (DG AGRI), establishes criteria for Member States to demonstrate a crisis. For distillation and green harvesting, Member States must show a substantial increase in wine stocks, a substantial decrease in market price over six months, or a substantial decrease in cumulated sales. For grubbing up, structural imbalance must be evidenced by increased ending stocks over five years compared to ten years, production exceeding sales in three of five years, crisis circumstances in three of five years, or decreased profitability over ten years.
Payment calculations are capped to avoid overcompensation. For green harvesting, the maximum payment covers direct costs plus compensation (up to 50% of average grape value minus harvest costs) plus an incentive of up to 20% of that sum. For distillation, the maximum covers distillation costs plus compensation (up to 50% of average market price over six months) plus an incentive of up to 20%. For grubbing up, the maximum covers direct costs plus compensation plus an incentive of up to 20%.
Eligibility rules aim to target support effectively. Only wine growers with authorised vineyards qualify for green harvesting and grubbing up; distillation beneficiaries include producers, marketers, organisations, and distillers. Vineyards grubbed up must have been harvested at least once in the ongoing and two previous marketing years. To prevent double funding, vineyards restructured under Article 58(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 in the previous five financial years are ineligible for grubbing up payments.
Measures may apply at national or regional level, for one or more wine categories and colours. The regulation enters into force the day after publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Wine growers facing overproduction or price drops gain a safety net through national payments, but the incentive cap (20%) may limit attractiveness. National authorities gain flexibility to design crisis responses but must navigate approval procedures and strict eligibility criteria. Distillers and producer organisations benefit from distillation support, potentially stabilising supply chains. Taxpayers in Member States bear the cost of national payments, though the rules aim to minimise market distortion. The regulation does not introduce new EU funding but authorises national expenditure, shifting financial responsibility to Member States.
The regulation will be scrutinised by the European Parliament and the Council, which have the right to object within two months. No prior coverage of this file exists in the last 180 days, so this is a new policy development.