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This includes a drink even made in the famous French wine region where the name ‘Champagne’ comes from. This term will only apply to “champagne” made in Russia.
Such a move was taken as a great insult in France. The country has strict rules that protect the name and reputation of the beloved bubbles. On Monday, the country’s main champagne group asked all producers to suspend exports to Russia “until further notice.”
“The champagne producer is urging French and European diplomats to try to change this unacceptable law,” said the report by Champagne Committee champions Maxime Toubart and Jean-Marie Barillere.
“It is scandalous not to allow champagne producers to use the name ‘Cyrillic’. It is a heritage that unites us and protects it like our eye ”, emphasizes the report.
Moet Hennessy, a French beverage maker owned by luxury conglomerate LVMH and producer of champagne such as Veuve Clicquot and Dom Perignon, previously told Politico that the company will suspend supplies to Russia to “take the time to assess the consequences of the new legislation”.
French media speculate that Moscow’s move could be part of its attempt to revive the Soviet-era sparkling wine industry in Crimea, which was ripped from Ukraine and annexed in 2014.
Itar-Tass / Scanpix
To achieve this goal, Moscow is taking similar measures that have been effective in increasing profits for local producers: in response to Western sanctions imposed by the Ukraine conflict, Moscow banned imports of cheeses and other products from Europe, which it eventually became a major incentive. for Russian cheese producers.
Shares of Russian sparkling wine producer Abrau-Durso rose 7.7 percent on Monday.
Moscow’s focus on one of Europe’s most expensive sectors coincides with strained relations between the European Union and Russia, shortly after EU leaders rejected the offer of France and Germany to resume meetings with Putin and set conditions. strict for any possible warming of diplomatic relations.
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday that the sparkling wine industry was “a complex industry, not an area where you make money quickly,” alluding to Russia’s desire to protect its wine producers. sparkling.
“The law has been passed, it must be implemented,” Peskov said.
Barillere said he was “very surprised that Russia had made such a decision.” The Champagne Committee has asked French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to get involved.
The French embassy in Moscow declined to comment on the situation, but the country’s Foreign Trade Minister Franco Riester wrote on Twitter that Paris was “closely monitoring” the consequences of the law passed by Russia.
“Do not hesitate: we will not hesitate to support our producers and French excellence. Long live French champagne! ”Wrote F. Riester.
French champagne is also subject to a lucrative EU system of protected designations of origin to protect the names of gourmet foods sold abroad.
According to Alexander Stavstev, editor-in-chief of the Russian industrial news publication Wine Retail Information Center, the new law could mean around 20,000. changes in the labels of wine brands.
A spokesman for the European Commission told reporters on Monday that the EU executive “would do everything possible to express its opposition and concern” to the law passed by Russia.
“We will do everything necessary to protect our rights and take the necessary measures,” the spokesman added, but did not mention specific actions that Brussels could take.
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