Switzerland is considering a new plan to restrict wine imports, under a proposal from President Guy Parmelin, a trained winemaker with a family vineyard near Lake Geneva. The initiative would limit merchants from buying foreign wine unless they also purchase or process Swiss grapes, a move critics warn could entrench protectionism in a sector long shielded from competition.
Parmelin, whose Swiss People’s Party draws support from farmers, retains close ties to the domestic wine industry, particularly in the Vaud, Geneva, and Valais cantons. The measure is being driven by local winegrowers and trade organisations and would require approval from the seven-member Federal Council. If endorsed, it could be implemented through a federal ordinance without a parliamentary vote, with rollout planned for 2027 following a consultation period ending in June.
Under the current system, Switzerland limits wine imports via a tariff quota, allowing a fixed volume to enter at a low duty. The proposed change would not restrict the total volume but would alter quota allocation, shifting from a first-come, first-served basis to one contingent on “domestic performance, effectively prioritising companies that buy or process Swiss grapes.
Switzerland imported roughly 161 million litres of wine in 2024, primarily from Italy, France, and Spain, while only about 1 per cent of Swiss wine is exported, far below levels in other producing countries.
The proposal has drawn strong criticism from European producers. Ignacio Sánchez Recarte, secretary-general of the European Committee of Wine Companies, said protectionism is not the solution, while French estate manager Edouard Parinet called the move “narrow-minded” and warned it would affect his business. Spanish MEP Esther Herranz García stressed that Swiss associations should focus on improving product quality and promotion rather than restricting imports. German MEP Norbert Lins noted that tying import rights to domestic purchases raises concerns over market access and potential discrimination against foreign suppliers.
Economists also expressed caution. The Zurich-based think-tank Avenir Suisse said the policy would reinforce protectionist tendencies, while the government’s own consultation document acknowledged the plan could distort competition, favour domestic producers, and risk trade tensions, yet do little to reverse the broader decline in demand for Swiss wine.
The initiative would mark a partial return to a system abandoned in 2001, when Switzerland liberalised its wine market, scrapping rules linking import rights to domestic sales, a reform credited with pushing local producers to improve quality and competitiveness.
via FT
