97 ALSACE WINES AND DISSEMINATION OF TARIFF RECOMMENDATIONS Three professional organisations fined for anticompetitive practices Following evidence and documents sent by the French Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF), the Autorité sanctioned two trade associations as well as an interprofessional organisation, the Interprofessional Council for Alsace Wines (CIVA), for fixing the price of grapes. The CIVA was also fined for having drawn up and disseminated tariff recommendations on bulk wine. R COMPLIANCE: ADVICE TO PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS Organisations must be AN AGREEMENT TO RAISE PRICE RECOMMENDATIONS aware of the risks involved since the significant increase THE PRICE OF GRAPES ON BULK WINE PUBLISHED in the cap on fines in 2021, BY THE INTERPROFESSIONAL which affects them. Whereas The evidence of the case showed that ORGANISATION previously the maximum between 2008 and 2017, AVA, which repre- fine that could be handed sents producers, GPNVA, which representsMoreover, the Autorité revealed that, for down to a professional wine merchants and traders, and CIVA, thealmost 40 years, CIVA made price recom- association was €3 million, mendations for bulk wine (unbottled wine) the cap on the fine has interprofessional organisation, worked now been raised to 10% together at the end of each harvest to esta-and published them, for its members and of the sum of the turnover blish price recommendations for grapes andfor each harvest. of the member companies this, for each Alsatian grape variety (inclu- of the association, since ding Riesling and Gewurztraminer). As ofThe Autorité considered that the practice of the adoption of the 2013, these prices were published in a tradeCIVA restricted free competition on the mar- ECN+ Directive. journal, the Revue des Vins d’Alsace, to serveket. Indeed, CIVA worked out unique prices, As a result, professional as a reference. by grape variety, applicable to all Alsatian associations, as well as Through these practices, the organisationswinegrowers, whatever their individual ope- their member companies, are now exposed to very involved aimed to raise the price of the rawrating costs. These prices were published serious fines in the event material, thereby driving up the retail priceeach year in December, at the start of the of any infringement. of Alsace wine. bulk wine marketing period, and thus were akin to price instructions. … T ACTIVATING TRANSFORMATION I N S H O