A proposal from the European Commission to relax import restrictions on Moldovan wines is unlikely to lead to a flood of imports from Europe’s seventh-largest wine producer.

Moldovan wines are generally considered too sweet for many European palates, though the Commission’s plan might be greeted by a few raised glasses in Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania. Between them, those three countries accounted for three-quarters of the 160,000 hectolitres of wine imported to the European Union from Moldova last year.

In 2012, only 15% of Moldova’s wine exports went to the EU, in a trade worth €31 million. In the same year, Russia imported €156m worth of Moldovan wine, which amounts to three-quarters of all Moldovan wine exports. So Russia’s announcement on 10 September that it was banning the country’s wine imports for health reasons came as a serious blow to an industry that contributes about a quarter of the country’s gross domestic product.

Last year, Moldova used only two-thirds of the 240,000hl tariff-free quota that it had been allocated by the EU. Although the country seems likely to use almost all of its tariff-free quota this year, it is doubtful whether European consumers can fill the gap left by their Russian counterparts.

With total production of 14m hl, Moldova produces more wine than either Bulgaria or Switzerland, but only half what is produced in Greece and Austria.

Many Moldovan wines are too sweet for Belgian palates, Miguel Salens, of Mig’s World Wines in Brussels, told European Voice. He stocks what he describes as an “excellent” Moldovan wine for €15, but admitted that it was not a best-seller. But Bulgarian and Romanian wines were viewed in much the same way five or so years ago and are now very popular, he said.

Nikita Macovei, the founder of Casa Moldova, an importer based in Nantes, affirmed that Moldova, which lies at the same latitude as the famous French wine-growing regions of Bordeaux and Bourgogne, produced some decent European wines, in addition to local varieties.

Regardless of consumer tastes, the Commission’s proposal might not be realised quickly enough to make a significant economic difference. Approval from the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers might be given by the end of the year, according to a Commission spokesperson.

But the EU is supposed to initial an agreement on a deep and comprehensive free-trade area with Moldova in Vilnius. The EU and Moldova would then provisionally apply this agreement, giving Moldovan wine unimpeded access to the European market shortly afterwards. The Commission’s current proposal for increased early access to the EU market is more about political symbolism than trade.

Nicholas Hirst

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