The Cognac industry is turning to Europe for urgent financial assistance, requesting €40 million to support the uprooting of thousands of hectares of vines, following a sharp downturn in exports and revenue.
This request was formally submitted by Florent Morillon, president of the Bureau National Interprofessionnel de Cognac (BNIC), during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Wine Paris event on February 9, 2026.
The industry is currently experiencing one of its most challenging periods, with exports projected to drop to 141 million bottles in 2025 and revenue declining to €2.24 billion. This represents a 15% decrease in volume and a 25% reduction in value compared to 2024, levels not seen since 2010.
Morillon attributed this downturn to a combination of global reductions in wine and spirits consumption and an ongoing Chinese anti-dumping investigation. The probe, initiated as retaliation against European tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, has placed Cognac and other French spirits and brandies at the center of a geopolitical dispute.
“The European agricultural sector is increasingly exposed to risks beyond its control,” Morillon said, citing impacts on wine, dairy, and pork. He stressed the need for compensation when EU policies benefit some industries while harming others.
President Macron acknowledged the sector’s losses, recognizing a €500 million shortfall linked to the Chinese investigation. The BNIC’s request seeks funding for the removal of 3,500 to 4,000 hectares of vines at a rate of €10,000 per hectare. Morillon emphasized that this request is targeted, focusing solely on areas where markets have been permanently lost due to international trade disputes.
Discussions with French Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard confirmed government support for taking the request to the European Commission, a process accelerated by pressure from producers after earlier hesitation in Paris.
Industry leaders view this compensation as crucial not only for Cognac’s recovery but also for establishing a precedent to protect other agricultural sectors caught in geopolitical conflicts.
Source: Vinetur
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