For nearly four years, we have been opposing a new cellar control designed and applied by and for wine merchants, when we are producers of Swiss grapes and wine, peasants of the vine. We are not opposed to control per se, but our authorities refuse to differentiate between an importing trader and a producer with dirt under their shoes.
Legislation must be based on the proper meaning of words. Trading is the action of buying and selling a product or good. The trader can buy and sell at any time. A producer does not buy, he simply sells his own production. All producers in the same region harvest only once a year and all in the same period, which really makes the difference with trade. We are already very controlled while the administration knows practically all the details of our operations (areas, grape varieties, production, etc.). This additional paperwork control not only entails additional costs, but also an administrative burden that is difficult to bear for the small, often family-oriented businesses that we are.
“A producer does not buy, he simply sells his own production”
However, the Federal Administration continues its war of attrition by dragging the case through endless legal proceedings. On September 16, we filed an appeal with the Federal Administrative Court. We challenged Federal Councilor Guy Parmelin, who kicked in touch in his response of September 29. We expected a little more understanding from an ex-winemaker.
At the level of the cantonal authorities, most are awaiting the final decision of the procedures underway at the federal level. Except the Canton of Vaud which won the Palme d’Or for judicial harassment. The prefectures heavily sanctioned the winegrowers who opposed them with fines, threats of imprisonment, legal proceedings and seizures. In the grotesque category: a retired Vaud winegrower faces an unfair legal imbroglio. In 2021 the prefect had recognized his retired status and ordered the closing of his case and charged the costs of the proceedings to the State. However, the collection department refuses to take this prefectural decision into account and has sued the pensioner for undue legal costs!
Latest episode: reversal of the Canton of Neuchâtel which decided to ignore our recourse to the TAF and to resume the legal procedures which it had suspended since 2021.
It is time for our authorities to combine rhetoric and practice. To shout loud and clear the importance of sustainable development, of proximity. Promise support for the local economy, agriculture, with less administrative burdens and fair competition. These are just promises!
But what we are seeing is a completely different reality.
It is a “justice” with variable geometry, a relentless procedure, administrative sanctions and non-responses and we continue to have to face an increasingly unfair competition, cut prices, totally free cross-border trade.
Our demands remain the same:
– the recognition of our status as winegrowers and winemakers, as peasants of the vine and Swiss wine
– the right to simplified accounting and a real reduction in administrative costs
– market conditions with fair competition guaranteed by an import quota indexed to consumption and taxes limiting the distortion of competition.
We, peasants of the vine, value our profession. We will not give up!
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The guest – We are the peasants of the vine
– We are the peasants of the vineyard
Willy Cretegny – President of the Swiss Association of Independent Winegrowers and Cellars