A total of 27 leaders from some of the EU’s major wine companies have gathered in Barcelonafor the first edition of The European Committee of Wine Companies (CEEV) “Club of CEOs” meeting to discuss challenges at stake for the European wine trade including climate change and sustainability.
The meeting gathered round the table 27 senior representatives from major wine companies from France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain, to discuss the major threats and opportunities the EU wine sector is confronted with.
In this first edition, the leaders discussed four key topics for the wine sector: the importance of international trade, the necessary actions to limit and adapt to climate change, consumers’ expectations concerning sustainable wine production and the defence of the concept of wine in moderation in our culture and society as part of a healthy lifestyle.
CEEV President and chair of the meeting, Jean-Marie Barillère, explains: “We decided to organise the Club of CEOs meeting as an opportunity for EU wine company leaders to get together annually, to discuss among them the main issues at stake for our sector and shape the long-term strategy of CEEV.”
Hosted by Miguel A. Torres, President of the world-renowned Familia Torres winery, the meeting was followed by a visit to Torres’ historic Mas La Plana estate, at the heart of the Penedès region.
The winery just joined the global climate actions initiated by Fridays For Future, the international movement inspired by the young activist Greta Thunberg, to help confront climate changes.
“It is a great honour for me to host the very first meeting of the CEEV Club of CEOs. I deeply believe in peer collaboration as the best way to ensure the sustainability and continuity of our sector, especially considering the challenges that await us in the forthcoming years”, declared Torres.
“It was important for our European trade association to touch base with the leaders of the wine companies we represent to better understand their vision on key issues. Threats and opportunities are today global and gathering wine leaders from different EU countries to share, discuss and coordinate was a welcomed initiative for everyone”, said Dr Ignacio Sánchez Recarte, Secretary General of CEEV.
This successful event will now take place every year, in order to feed the long-term strategy-planning of CEEV, in parallel with the day-to-day collaboration with its national member associations.
The 2020 Club of CEOs meeting will take place in Portugal.
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