European industry is being hit twice — first by Washington, now by Brussels

Just days after confirming that wine and spirits will face a 15% tariff in the US under the new EU-US trade deal, the European Commission has unveiled plans for an “EU Cardiovascular Health Plan” that could deal another blow to the industry.

The plan, steered by Health Commissioner Oliver Várhelyi (pictured), revives proposals first floated under the Europe Beating Cancer Plan: tobacco-style health warnings, mandatory labels and higher taxes on alcohol. Those ideas stalled at the time, but the Commission now appears determined to push them through.

According to documents seen by EU Reporter, the World Health Organization (WHO) is urging the Commission to act on the basis that there is “no safe level” of drinking and that “EU consumption [is] twice the global average.” This week, Várhelyi met stakeholders to discuss ways to “counter alcohol-related harm.”

Behind closed doors, Commission officials have voiced frustration at the lack of progress, telling evaluators that “the original ambition … met the political reality, so the progress is not as expected.” Some southern wine-producing Member States have been particularly resistant to legislation, according to transcripts collected by the Commission’s consultant, Open Evidence.

Preparatory work on the Cardiovascular Plan began before summer, with discussions dominated by NGOs, the pharmaceutical sector and the WHO. Industry representatives were not invited.

A four-week call for evidence opened in August and runs until mid-September. Nearly 100 responses have been submitted. Several contributors urged the Commission to distinguish between harmful drinking and moderate consumption, and to consider harm-reduction approaches, including the role of new nicotine products such as e-cigarettes, which research suggests carry significantly lower cardiovascular risks compared to smoking.

One person familiar with the process told EU Reporter that the Commission aims to publish the Plan as early as November, leaving little time to analyse submissions. Moreover, unlike previous flagship health initiatives such as the Cancer Plan, the Cardiovascular Plan will not undergo the standard standard eight-week public consultation.

The restrictions would add further costs to a sector already under strain, from family-owned vineyards to breweries. Many of these are small and medium-sized businesses. Ireland recently scaled back similar measures, citing the cumulative burden on industry after the EU-US trade deal. Against this backdrop, some observers question why Brussels is choosing this moment to accelerate restrictions on sectors that remain among Europe’s most competitive.

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