"We have had the opportunity to express our doubts regarding the legitimacy of the Irish initiative on health warnings, now we have formalized our opposition with the presentation of a complaint to the European Commission so that it can clarify a position that we consider disproportionate and incompatible with the European law".

With these words the Wine Coordinator of Alleanza Cooperative Agroalimentari Luca Rigotti announces – a few days after the ratification of the Irish law which, from 22 May 2026, will require the presence on the label of alcoholic beverages of alarmist messages on the effects of alcoholic products on human health – the notification of a complaint to the European Commission denouncing Ireland's violation of EU law, with particular reference to articles 34 and 36 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

"With this initiative, Ireland has in fact unilaterally introduced restrictions and barriers to trade - said Rigotti - an action that undermines and calls into question the principles of the single market. We need to work - he added - for greater harmonization of European regulation, without fragmenting the internal market with discriminatory rules such as the Irish ones, based among other things on an ideological, alarmist and penalizing approach to wine, which makes no difference between abuse and responsible consumption, the only one that we believe to be correct".

Now the European Commission, which last December had decided not to precede with the Irish bill, will have to express itself during the next meeting, scheduled for June 21st, of the Trade Barriers Committee of the WTO as, concludes Luca Rigotti, "it is absolutely important to combat the phenomena of excessive alcohol consumption, but we believe that this objective can only be achieved by sharing a prevention policy that focuses on an approach based on moderate consumption, education campaigns and adequate and correct information in favor of consumers".