Slovenia to sue European Commission over permit to Croatia for production of Terrano wine

Slovenia will sue the European Commission if EC adopts the bill allowing Croatian producers of Terrano to continue using the name of the grape variety, even thought Slovenia had protected it by geographical indication of origin as its product before Croatia entered the EU.

Slovenian Minister of Agriculture Dejan Zidan said that there were serious suspicions that EC and Croatia had reached an agreement on how to circumvent the Slovenian protection of Terrano during Croatia's accession negotiations, as the wine is also produced in the Croatian part of Istria.

The decision in question makes an exception for Croatian wine makers using the name of Terrano. Slovenia had protected Terrano as its own product on the level of the Union before Croatia entered the EU, which means that only Slovenian producers are allowed to sell wine under that name.

Croatia has complained about this, pointing out that Slovenia had no right to protect Terrano, as the eponymous wine is produced from Refosco grapes in the Slovenian part of Istria, whereas the wine is produced precisely from Terrano grapes in the Croatian part of Istria.

Croatian enologists point out that DNA analyses have shown that Refosco and Terrano are two entirely different varieties, whereas Slovenia claims that these are merely different names for a genetically equal variety.

EC says that they have prepared a draft of the delegated act, allowing Croatian producers to use, under certain conditions, the name of Terrano, thereby acknowledging that Terrano is also a grape variety in Croatia.

According to the new proposition by EC, the Croatian Terrano would display the words “Croatian Istria” on the labels, with the name of Terrano displayed below in smaller print.

In order for Slovenia to stop the adoption of the delegated act, it needs to get a qualified majority in the EU Council, which means that 55% of the member-states, in which at least 65% of the total number of citizens of the Union live, should vote for it.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION Bruxelles

Terrano wine

Dejan Zidan

grape

Refosco

geographical indication of origin

Slovenian wine

Croatian wine