Wine agreement between the EU and the US

The EU commission voted to approve an agreement between the EU and the US on wine trade on December 20. Exactly what the agreement will mean is unclear to us at this moment. It is said to be just the first step in a process that will continue with a negotiations on a wider agreement soon. The purpose is a mutual recognition of e.g. appellations and wine making practices that will facilitate trade. Germany, Portugal and Austria voted against and Greece abstained. International Herald Tribune, La Journee Vinicole.