Calls for the EU to support ‘craft’ distillers

A campaign has been launched to encourage the European Union (EU) and national governments to better support ‘craft’ distillers.

Spirits Europe, a European trade body for spirits producers, has launched a campaign called #SpiritsVoices, which will explore the demands of European distillers.

Spirits Europe spoke to distillers, and discovered small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are calling on the EU and national governments to support their efforts to grow and become ‘more resilient’.

Ulrich Adam, director general of Spirits Europe, said: “Craft distillers are true innovators who play an important role in their local communities. Thanks to their high-quality products, they generate jobs and revenue.

“Unfortunately, they are now having to deal with major inflation and supply-chain-related challenges while operating under complex regulatory environments often marked by red tape and high taxes.”

The campaign roll-out saw discussions on the effects of inflation, producers’ adoption of digital labels, and efforts to comply with EU regulations.

As European consumers seek more premium products, according to Spirits Europe, SMEs have seen higher demand, and become ‘engines for job creation and growth’ in rural areas.

Adam said: “SMEs are the backbone of the European economy. To unleash their full potential, we must find ways to alleviate current pressures and devise adequate policies to support them.”

The campaign was launched in response to distillers taking on the pressures of trade disruptions, supply chain delays, and inflation, with the intention of ‘bridging the gap’ between spirits producers and policy making.

#SpiritsVoices aims to highlight the difference that fair regulation and ‘adequate’ support from both the European Union and the government could make.