New Irish health labels warning of the
liver and cancer risks of wine and other alcoholic products risk
hurting the EU, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Tuesday.
In a letter to European Commission Vice President Valdis
Dombrowskis, Tajani said the new health warning labels "risk
being a source of distortion of international trade, equivalent
to a quantitative restriction".
He said the Irish move, as well as being open to criticism under
EU law, "could trigger a chain reaction that would end up
damaging the whole of he Union".
Italy has said it will appeal to the World Trade Organization
against the warnings on wine, beer and spirits highlighting
risks of liver damage and links to certain forms of cancer.
Italian officials have stressed that wine is good for you when
drunk in moderation and Italy has said it will make common cause
with other big wine producers like France and Spain.
Ireland earlier Friday notified the WTO of its new labelling
policy.
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