MEPs get a taste of Scots whisky industry in Moray
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A GROUP of Euro MPs have seen at first hand the workings of an eco-friendly distillery in Moray.
During the visit to Diageo’s Roseisle Distillery on Speyside, the MEPs were shown how a £40 million investment in the distillery has contributed to the company’s ambitious environmental targets.
Roseisle was constructed using a combination of modern environmental technologies and traditional distilling techniques, making it one of the most environmentally sustainable Scotch whisky distilleries.
The majority of the by-products are recycled on site in a bioenergy facility, helping the distillery to generate most of its own energy and reduce potential CO2 emissions by approximately 13,000 tonnes, the equivalent to taking 10,000 family cars off the road.
The group was invited to Scotland by Scottish Conservative Euro MP Struan Stevenson and included Gabriele Albertini MEP (Italy), chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the European Parliament, Sir Robert Atkins MEP (North East England), member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Astrid Lulling MEP (Luxembourg), chair of the European Parliament Wine Intergroup.
Commenting after the visit, Mr Stevenson said: "Whisky is of massive importance to Scotland, earning more than £2.7 billion per year for our economy and employing around 35,000 people.
"Roseisle distillery provides a glowing example of how the industry can thrive in the face of growing EU pressure to help meet emissions targets.
"I was delighted to be able to invite this influential group of MEPs to see first-hand how such a key industry for Scotland’s economic growth is adapting to these environmental expectations, while also respecting the unique heritage that makes Scotch whisky so well-loved."
Mr Stevenson said the visit was timely given the recent milestone Free Trade Agreement between the EU and South Korea which came into force on July 1 July. Scotch whisky is expected to reap huge benefits from the removal of Korea’s 20 per cent import tariff on spirits.
Ian Smith, Corporate Relations Manager for Diageo in Scotland, commented: "Members of the European Parliament are key stakeholders in the Scotch whisky industry and we were delighted to have the opportunity to show Struan and his colleagues around our distilleries and particularly to showcase the efforts we are making to reduce our impact on the environment, whilst also contributing to the growth of Scotch whisky."
