Brexit tops Vinexpo conference agenda

The organisers of trade show Vinexpo will host a conference session tackling challenges related to Brexit at this year’s flagship event.

Brexit’s impact on the wine and spirits trade will be the subject of a conference session and this year’s Vinexpo

Set to take place at Bordeaux’s Parc des Expositions on 20 June at 4.00 pm, the conference, moderated by wine writer Jane Anson, will open with a review of current EU trade agreements and tariffs for wine and spirits imports and exports.

Five subsequent topics then form the agenda: a detailed update on trade agreements; the impact of the UK market on duties, consumer prices, category management and distribution; the UK and re-exports; travel retail opportunities; and the protection of designation of origin areas.

UK prime minister Theresa May is expected to write to the European Council president Donald Tusk tomorrow [29 March] to “trigger” Article 50 which starts the process of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.

According to the UK’s Wine & Spirit Trade Association, total spirits exports from the UK reached £4.9 billion (US$6.2bn) in 2016.

While there are clearly challenges for the industry related to Brexit, Guillaume Deglise, VINEXPO CEO, said: “In a wider context, among our 48,000 attendees there will be producers and buyers currently excluded from the EU favourable tariff zone who see Brexit as an opportunity to penetrate the UK wine and spirits market.”

The Vinexpo team expects to attract delegates from more than 150 countries at this year’s event, which takes place from 18-21 June in Bordeaux.

Earlier this year, Vinexpo launched its Vinexpo Explorer concept, an “intense” programme set up to take industry buyers directly to wine and spirit-producing regions.