To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has made in respect of the European Union wine directive. (89917)

I have been asked to reply.

The European Commission published its options paper “Towards a sustainable European wine sector” and an accompanying impact assessment on 22 June 2006. This is not a proposal, but a Commission Communication analysing the situation on the EU wine market and setting out various options for the reform of the current regime. Defra has undertaken a formal consultation on the Commission's Communication, which closed on 9 October 2006 (http://defraweb/corporate/consult/wine-reform/index. htm). We will be considering the responses received in order to inform a detailed UK negotiating position. But in the discussions to date, we have welcomed the Commission's Communication, which clearly sets out the case for reform and identifies a good range of options for discussion. We expect the Commission to present detailed legislative proposals early in 2007.