France will bring the situation with the new Russian law on the domestic labeling of champagne up for discussion at an EU wine industry meeting next week, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Wednesday
PARIS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th July, 2021) France will bring the situation with the new Russian law on the domestic labeling of champagne up for discussion at an EU wine industry meeting next week, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Wednesday.
Under the new law signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, foreign champagne producers must label their products as "sparkling wine" in the Russian market.
Le Drian noted that Paris was examining the new Russian legislation and its consequences.
"We have started discussions with [French wine] industry professionals. We will also contact the Russian authorities in the coming days. And we will act at the European level to protect the interests of our manufacturers and geographical Names. We have already provided that this issue will be brought up at the European level next week, at a meeting concerning obstacles to market access for our companies," Le Drian told the upper chamber.
The diplomat stressed that in case the negotiations on the issue were unsuccessful, Paris would challenge the legislation within the World Trade Organization.
The amendments sparked a strong backlash among alcoholic beverage producers across Europe, with the European Union set to express its disagreement and concern with the legislature. French beverage giant Moet Hennessy, in turn, announced the suspension of champagne deliveries to Russia.
In the European Union and many other countries, the name "champagne" is legally protected to be used exclusively for sparkling wines from the Champagne region.
