French wine industry lobbies for more freedom

The French wine industry has written an open letter to the French Government to demand it do more to protect the industry from moves by the anti-alcohol lobby to tighten legislation. In the letter, the French wine regions describe how “contrary to promises made by the president, the government is ignoring the legal injustice to the wine sector.”

Prior to being elected as president, Nicolas Sarkozy promised to give more freedom to wine advertising in France if he was elected, the trade now expects him to deliver on this promise.

One of the main concerns expressed in the letter was the Government’s decision to ban wine advertising on the internet after Paris-based National Association for the Prevention of Alcoholism and Addiction (ANPAA) secured a ruling against Heineken in January. The judgement ruled that the internet is not authorised as a publicity vehicle in France.

But the industry, mobilised by Christine Tarby, president of lobbying group Vins et Société, claims that because the internet was not listed as an advertising medium under the 1991 Evin Law, which regulates tobacco and alcohol advertising, it is illegal. As it stands currently, the law prohibits any incitement to buy or drink wine as well as any appearance of wine advertising on TV or in cinemas.

Members of the French wine trade also expressed concern over journalists’ inability to write freely about wine. At the beginning of this year a French court ruled that newspaper articles on wines should be subject to the same health and safety guidelines as alcohol advertising and display health warnings. This followed a ruling by a Paris county court that an editorial piece in Le Parisien named “The Triumph of Champagne” could be construed as advertising. The newspaper was ordered to pay €5,000 in damages.

Tarby, who has spent much of this year explaining to the different wine regions the extent of the threat facing them, said: “The internet did not exist in its current form when the Evin Law was drawn up. We are not looking for total liberty but are asking for the same limited rights on the web as we have in the press.”

The letter follows the leak of a proposed new law to ban wine on the internet in France, putting it on the same level of pornography.

Fionnuala Synnott 17/09/08