French Country Travel Life Wine Whine
Our French Country Travel Life Wine Whine today comes from…..none other than the Government of this here fine place.
Every sensitive to DA BG’s previous post, (with guest scribbler Olivier Mangy) that detailed the current “wine is dangerous and no fun” stance of those wine “experts at the elysée palace……bureaucracy has been shaken from it’s slumber.
Decanter’s Chris Mercer decants their “it ain’t so” rant:
Speaking to decanter.com following the launch of a campaign by wine trade lobby group Vin & Societe, a spokesperson for France’s health ministry said ‘there is no truth’ to claims that a raft of new regulations are planned for the sector.
Several wine industry bodies have publicly supported Vin & Societe, which last month detailed five measures that the government is considering, including together health warnings on labels, higher tax and stronger restrictions on publicity, particularly on the internet.
‘We are not going to raise taxes,’ the health ministry spokesperson said. She said she is aware of the campaign website and added, ‘we are not going to do anything of this kind’.
Her comments follow those of French agriculture minister Stephane Le Foll, who has said at two public meetings in the past fortnight that there will be no extra tax on wine.
However, there is concern in the wine trade at the power of the France’s ‘anti-alcohol’ lobby, and also that tougher government measures could come further down the line.
Vin & Societe’s MD, Audrey Bourolleau, told decanter.com that she understands tougher health warnings on labels, as well as the Evin Law that governs alcohol publicity, are still set to be discussed as part of the government’s new cancer plan and a new national health bill.
For that reason, Vin & Societe wants the government to install an interdepartmental body to oversee alcohol policy, which would recognise wine’s contribution to French culture and the country’s economy.
‘We are keeping our mobilisation campaign,’ Bourolleau said. ‘The national health [bill] will be discussed from December until March and the Evin Law will be a major point of discussion.’
Vin & Societe’s campaign website, cequivavraimentsaoulerlesfrançais.fr, has received 250,000 unique visitors in its first two weeks.
Read More HERE.
THROW ME A BONE HERE, PEOPLE!
What are ya thinkin’?
no end to news from the world of wine eh?
what else would you expect from a government?
gotcha tamara…..of course they’re gonna deny it.
very insightful article….particulary for noting the government is still considering the more restrictive parts of the proposed legislation.
sounds like this is a dr doolittle government” remember the “push me-pull you?
kandi..musta missed that one.
so kandi…this “dr doolittle”….was/is he a doctor of wine?
a great follow up to the previous post with oliver mangy…
sounds like you guys have really stirred up a hornets nest there!
“decants their rant”…..priceless!
pro or con…at least there’s a healthy debate going on…better than apthy any day!
refreshing to see that france has special interest lobbies too! used to think it was just us!
i think vin and socitie’s idea is good…put a special unit in between producers and the government.
with ya there karen…..then there would be no chance for the government to change the rules in the middle of the game.
i think you’ll find whenever governments are involved in a private sector product, the result is disaster.
lang..don’t think you’ll find much disagreement with that.
lang….you sure don’t pull your punches. good on ya!
i’m wondering just who would decide the composition of this “extra-governmental body.”
good point carleton…..obviously the wine makers don’t want the government stacking the deck!
good luck at finding imarptiality where governments are involved!
quentin…i think thats just why the wine lobby wants such a buffer.
“no extra tax on wine”….my advice to the wine producers woul be “don’t hold your breath!”
hats off once again to DA BG for brining us all sides of french life…not just the sunny everyone’s so happy stuff. anyone can do that.
i agree with DA BG..bizarre that an induzstry so identified with france and responsible for so much revenue, gets the short end of the stick.
daniel..from what i’ve read here…..i’m wondering iof they’re going to get ANY of the stick!
looks like the fight between the pro and anti wine lobbies will be france’s answer to monday night football!