European Union and China wine labelling rules - A study to help Italian wineries in the drafting of Chinese wine labels

Abstract

This dissertation has been developed with the aim of investigating the wine labelling rules and regulations, and the use of traditional terms and designations of origin in Europe, with a focus on the Chinese market. Wine is one of the sectors that best represents the Italian style and characterizes the ‘Made in Italy’ framework. Indeed, this is one of the reasons why I decided to investigate and define the relatively unknown process of wine labelling. Since 2013, China has become an extremely important player in the global wine market. As a result, this dissertation will discuss the laws and legislations that currently shape wine labels in the People’s Republic. In doing so, this investigation aims to help future Italian wineries and private distributors penetrate the Chinese market, by proposing new tools and solutions to stimulate their activities. An overview of Italian and European wine label rules and regulations will be presented, in order to provide the lector with a general perspective of wine labels laws. Using this approach, I hope to provide the reader with an idea of the context, alongside all the tools and information they will need to understand the topic at hand. Subsequently, Chinese rules for the drafting of labels for import wines will be scrutinized. As an emerging market, China tends to have strict rules for the imports of goods and services, and it is extremely important that all parties involved respect these rules. Moreover, case studies of Italian wineries with contacts in the Chinese wine market will be presented. Through their experiences, the main criticalities and problems involved in wine labelling will be disclosed. The techniques used and the conclusions drawn from this study can act as a point of reference for Italian wineries hoping to perfect their approach to the Chinese wine market, whilst following the correct rules and regulations regarding the drafting of wine labels.