Cheap wine imported from non-EU countries
Imports of cheap bulk wine to Greece from countries outside the European Union have risen to 150,000 tonnes. Unfortunately, checks in these countries are often unsatisfactory, affecting the quality of their wines and raising public safety issues. Stringent rules are enforced in the EU to ensure that wine produced in EU countries does not contain pesticide residues. Many other countries lack corresponding controls and so Greek consumers cannot be certain of the quality of imported bulk wine.
The problem is exacerbated when you consider that this wine is sold unlabelled in Greek tavernas and can easily be called “local Cretan wine” when it is no such thing. Tavernas, of course, prefer it due to its very low cost, which gives them much higher profit margins than real Greek bulk wine.
Greek wine producers are already feeling the pressure from illegal competition and are demanding constant, strict checks by the Ministry of Agriculture on all bulk wine imports.
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