Balsamic Vinegar of Modena exports over 92% of its volume, reaching over 100 countries worldwide. Cesare Mazzetti , president of the Consortium for the Protection of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, made this statement during a meeting at the European Parliament. Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is "the Italian product with a geographical indication that exports the most," Mazzetti added, emphasizing its "presence in over 100 countries worldwide" and the title "ambassador of good Italian food" attributed to the PDO.

The meeting, held at the initiative of MEP Stefano Bonaccini , focused on the vinegar sector and the need to introduce a single European definition for production, denominations, and labeling, filling a regulatory gap that is impacting a rapidly growing sector.

Currently, European Union law provides a harmonized definition exclusively for wine vinegar, while all other types of vinegar remain governed by heterogeneous national regulations. This fragmentation, in a context of increasingly intense international trade, creates competitive distortions, uncertainty for operators, and confusion for consumers.

"Today we lack a clear definition that identifies what is vinegar and what is not. Our goal is to have a European definition that makes information transparent to consumers and allows them to understand what they are actually buying," said Sabrina Federzoni , president of the Federvini Vinegar Group.

Also taking part in the meeting were Valéry Brabant , president of the European Vinegar Association (Eva), which brings together producer associations from numerous member states, and French MEP Céline Imart , who is involved with Bonaccini in the ongoing legislative process.

On the table is a proposal to include a European definition of vinegar in Regulation (EU) 1308/2013 on the common organization of agricultural markets, introducing for the first time common criteria for production and labeling. The goal is to strengthen fair competition, prevent unfair practices, and ensure consumers receive clear, transparent, and comparable information.