European Union agreement on the definition of alcohol-free wine

On Thursday, negotiators from the European Parliament and EU member countries reached a consensus on updated regulations regarding zero-alcohol and de-alcoholized wines. According to the agreement, the label "alcohol-free" with the indication "0.0%" can be applied to products containing no more than 0.05% alcohol by volume.

Wines with an alcohol content below 0.5% are also eligible to be labeled "alcohol-free," but they cannot use the "0.0%" marking. Products containing 0.5% alcohol or more, yet reduced by at least 30% compared to the original wines alcohol content, should be labeled as "alcohol reduced."

The agreement now awaits formal approval by both the European Parliament and the member states, a step expected to proceed smoothly.

Author: Gavin Porter