Vodka war
Encyclopedia
Vodka war refers to heated discussions within the European Union
about the definition of which hard liquors may or may not be brand
ed as "vodka
". The war was triggered by the actions of Diageo
, who began marketing their Cîroc
vodka as uniquely produced exclusively from grapes.
The countries of the EU "Vodka Belt" argue that only spirits made exclusively from cereal
s, potato
es and sugar beet
molasses
may be branded vodka. Other distillers insist on a broader definition. The Schnellhardt compromise, proposed by Horst Schnellhardt
, suggests that vodkas made from items other than cereals, potatoes and molasses should say "Vodka produced from..." on the label.
On February 20, 2006 Poland
put a demand to restrict the definition of Vodka within EU, and the move was supported by the vodka belt countries and Germany
" This demand was triggered by a 2005 European Commission
proposal to split vodka category into several subcategories basing on the flavor and raw materials.
If the "Vodka Belt" prevails, it will significantly influence the global $12 billion annual vodka market. In particular, many vodkas, such as grape vodka Cîroc will have to be re-branded.
The issue goes beyond the EU: opinions are expressed that the United States
, fastest-growing vodka producer, if its non-traditional vodkas are expelled from the EU, it may retaliate in the World Trade Organization
.
On June 19, 2007 The European Parliament
voted for the compromise. In late August the position of the WTO is expected to be known, and the EU agriculture ministers will debate and vote on the issue in September.
Poland
sees the EU's decision as "wódka war lost". Polish MEP
Ryszard Czarnecki
said "Would the French like champagne to be distilled from plums, and would the British accept whisky
from apricots? That sounds like heresy. So please don't be surprised that we are refusing to recognize vodka made from waste." Polish vodka producers are going to fight back by forming the Polish Vodka Association, with the purpose of launching a public relations
campaign abroad against the expected flood of cheap, poor quality vodkas. While the strong Polish brands, such as Wyborowa
or Zubrowka
, feel safe, the smaller producers are threatened by the competition against cheaper products made of "waste".
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
about the definition of which hard liquors may or may not be brand
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
ed as "vodka
Vodka
Vodka , is a distilled beverage. It is composed primarily of water and ethanol with traces of impurities and flavorings. Vodka is made by the distillation of fermented substances such as grains, potatoes, or sometimes fruits....
". The war was triggered by the actions of Diageo
Diageo
Diageo plc is a global alcoholic beverages company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest producer of spirits and a major producer of beer and wine....
, who began marketing their Cîroc
Ciroc
Cîroc is a brand of distilled beverage manufactured in France and marketed as a vodka. It is claimed by the drink's promoters that it distinguished from other vodkas by the fact that it is derived from grapes, in contrast to corn, sorghum, rye, wheat, or potatoes that are more commonly used...
vodka as uniquely produced exclusively from grapes.
The countries of the EU "Vodka Belt" argue that only spirits made exclusively from cereal
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
s, potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es and sugar beet
Sugar beet
Sugar beet, a cultivated plant of Beta vulgaris, is a plant whose tuber contains a high concentration of sucrose. It is grown commercially for sugar production. Sugar beets and other B...
molasses
Molasses
Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
may be branded vodka. Other distillers insist on a broader definition. The Schnellhardt compromise, proposed by Horst Schnellhardt
Horst Schnellhardt
Horst Schnellhardt is a German politician and Member of the European Parliament for Saxony-Anhalt. He is a member of the conservative Christian Democratic Union, part of the European People's Party....
, suggests that vodkas made from items other than cereals, potatoes and molasses should say "Vodka produced from..." on the label.
On February 20, 2006 Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
put a demand to restrict the definition of Vodka within EU, and the move was supported by the vodka belt countries and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
" This demand was triggered by a 2005 European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
proposal to split vodka category into several subcategories basing on the flavor and raw materials.
If the "Vodka Belt" prevails, it will significantly influence the global $12 billion annual vodka market. In particular, many vodkas, such as grape vodka Cîroc will have to be re-branded.
The issue goes beyond the EU: opinions are expressed that the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, fastest-growing vodka producer, if its non-traditional vodkas are expelled from the EU, it may retaliate in the World Trade Organization
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
.
Arguments for restricted definition
- Vodka must be clearly defined in the same way as it has been done for other hard liquors, such as brandyBrandyBrandy is a spirit produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35%–60% alcohol by volume and is typically taken as an after-dinner drink...
or whiskey, in terms of raw ingredients, manufacture process, etc. - Such definition serves the protection of the quality and the originality of the product, similar to the notion of cording to the long established traditions of its production, a brand protection similar to the "Protected designation of originProtected designation of originProtected Geographical Status is a legal framework defined in European Union law to protect the names of regional foods. Protected Designation of Origin , Protected Geographical Indication and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed are distinct regimes of geographical indications within the framework...
".
Arguments for broad definition
- Traditionalists maintain that each good vodka has its own distinct flavor.
- Threat of trade wars.
- The proposal is seen as an attempt to monopolize the vodka market by the Vodka Belt
- The restriction may hamper innovation, in the opinion of the UK representatives in the European Vodka Alliance
- The restriction may hamper US exports and lead to retaliation, since the United States is one of the largest vodka importers from the EU ($500 mln)
Schnellhardt compromise
The compromise was adopted by the EU's Environment Committee on January 30, 2007. Since then it was negotiated with the agriculture ministers, and further compromises have been proposed, e.g., the initial requirement of prominent print size was suggested to be dropped.On June 19, 2007 The European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
voted for the compromise. In late August the position of the WTO is expected to be known, and the EU agriculture ministers will debate and vote on the issue in September.
Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
sees the EU's decision as "wódka war lost". Polish MEP
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
Ryszard Czarnecki
Ryszard Czarnecki
Richard Henry Czarnecki is a British-born Polish politician who is a Member of the European Parliament for the Lower Silesian and Opole constituency from Law and Justice...
said "Would the French like champagne to be distilled from plums, and would the British accept whisky
Whisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...
from apricots? That sounds like heresy. So please don't be surprised that we are refusing to recognize vodka made from waste." Polish vodka producers are going to fight back by forming the Polish Vodka Association, with the purpose of launching a public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
campaign abroad against the expected flood of cheap, poor quality vodkas. While the strong Polish brands, such as Wyborowa
Wyborowa
Wyborowa or Wódka Wyborowa is a brand of Polish vodka. Its production started in 1823 in a distillery owned by Jewish businessman Hartwig Kantorowicz in Poznań, then in Prussia...
or Zubrowka
Zubrówka
Żubrówka , also known in English as Buffalo Grass Vodka or Bison Grass Vodka, is a brand of dry, herb-flavored vodka that is distilled from rye and bottled at 40% alcohol by volume...
, feel safe, the smaller producers are threatened by the competition against cheaper products made of "waste".
See also
- Smirnov Trading House, about another "vodka war" of "Smirnov" vs. "SmirnoffSmirnoffSmirnoff is a brand of vodka owned and produced by the British company Diageo. The Smirnoff brand began with a vodka distillery founded in Moscow by Pyotr Arsenievich Smirnov , the son of illiterate Russian peasants. It is now distributed in 130 countries.Smirnoff products include vodka, flavored...
", ended in 1997