SYRIZA: «Arbitrary and dangerous any change of terminology in «Tsipouro and Tsikoudia»

«Misuse of the names of the traditional spirits »Tsipouro' and 'Tsikoudia,'" they accuse the New Democracy government in a joint statement, SYRIZA’s Agricultural Development Sector Head, Stavros Arachovitis, and SYRIZA’s Deputy Finance Sector Head, Katerina Papanatsiou.

The statement reads:

«The New Democracy government is bringing a bill before Parliament for a vote that concerns the transposition into Greek law of Directive (EU) 2020/1151, on the harmonization of the structures of excise taxes imposed on alcohol and alcoholic beverages, amending provisions of Directive 92/83/EEC.

In the first article and its first paragraph, the New Democracy government attempts a theft regarding the names of the traditional Tsipouro and Tsikoudia produced. Our traditional, national products, which for decades have supported small-scale winegrowers, the regional economy, and the traditions of our region, which are produced Among the small distillers who operate for two days, they are called arbitrarily as a «traditional two-day distillate.».

We describe as arbitrary and dangerous the use of the term «traditional two-day distillate» instead of the correct terms «Tsipouro» and “Tsikoudia” in the distillation product from grape pomace using the traditional distillation method for the following reasons:

1. From any legal text under European or national law There is no obligation to change the terminology and the discontinuation of the terms «Tsipouro» and “Tsikoudia.”.
2. In no legal text of European or national legislation This new terminology is not described which the Government is introducing through this legislation.
3. No related discussion No approach to changing the terminology has been developed to date, neither at the European Union level nor, much less, in our country.
4. Arbitrarily an attempt is being made to create confusion between traditionally produced spirits and the rules governing the marketing of alcoholic beverages. The marketing rules have no connection whatsoever with this Directive and its transposition into our national law.

When comparing the original text of the Directive with the proposed transposition into Greek law, we observe that it bears no relation to either the wording or the meaning. The transposition into Greek law is clearly an arbitrary and dangerous decision by the New Democracy government.

As SYRIZA-P.S., we clearly state that We will use every means at our disposal to prevent and then overturn the government’s maneuvers, with the sole purpose of protecting our traditional products, tsipouro and tsikoudia.

The exact excerpt from the text of Directive 2020/1151 is provided below:

«12) Article 23 is replaced by the following text:

«Article 23

…….

2. The Hellenic Republic may apply a reduced rate that may be lower than the minimum

coefficient:

a)…..

(b) but may not set that rate at a level more than 85 % lower than the standard national tax rate for ethyl alcohol, with respect to ethyl alcohol derived from fruit supplied by the producer’s household, which are distilled in simple traditional copper stills with a capacity of up to 130 liters or in traditional clay stills with a capacity of up to 40 liters, and provided that, in both cases, production lasts no more than eight days and no more than five hectoliters of pure alcohol are produced per year.’’