The amendments adopted by President Putin will not significantly affect the structure and volumes of sales of champagne and sparkling wines in Russia., I told ABF "Economics today» Director of the Club of Alcoholic Market Professionals of St. Petersburg Maxim Chernigovsky.
The head of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin signed the law, clarifying definitions and requirements for wine products. First of all, we are talking about replacing the wording “sparkling wine (champagne)"To the category" sparkling wine, including Russian champagne ".
Champagne or sparkling wine
Now the classification of wines is protected by geographical appellation / protected appellation of origin is organized on the basis of the national system for the protection of wine products only for Russian wines. In this regard, the definition of "champagne" in Russia is allowed to be used only in relation to drinks, produced in the country.
"Accepted 02.07.2021 amendments to 171-FZ "On state regulation of the production and turnover of ethyl alcohol, alcoholic and alcohol-containing products and on limiting consumption (drinking) alcoholic beverages "will not significantly affect the structure and volumes of sales of champagne and sparkling wines on the territory of the Russian Federation.
The situation, one side, is anecdotal, on the other hand, every law in the Russian Federation undergoes a regulatory impact assessment, and importers could initiate discussion of this legislative conflict in advance, and not wait for official changes in Russian legislation ", - the expert Maxim Chernigovsky commented on the amendments.
Last year, a significant event for the industry took place in the Russian Federation - Law No. 468-FZ "On Viticulture and Winemaking", to which Russian winemakers have been going for thirty years.
The document regulates several important parameters in the production of wine products and, according to the interlocutor ABF "Economics today», aims to protect and support domestic winemakers, since under this law only products can be considered Russian wine, produced in our country, based on domestic wine-making raw materials.
“However, some provisions of Law No. 468-FZ contradict the law No. 171-FZ, which is basic for the alcohol market.. In this regard, various changes have been made to FZ 171 over the past year., aimed at eliminating the identified discrepancies with the law "On viticulture and winemaking".
The amendments signed yesterday by the President of the Russian Federation are designed to eliminate a number of legislative inconsistencies in the Russian alcohol market ", - said the expert.
France reacted painfully
Amendments to the Russian law caused a quick reaction from the distribution division of the premium alcoholic beverages producer Moet Hennessy, which, writes RBC with reference to the materials received, sent a letter to Russian partners warning about the temporary suspension of the shipment of products from the range of sparkling wines. French winemakers are convinced, that the changes "oblige producers from the Champagne region to rename their products to 'sparkling wine'".
This requirement forces Moet Hennessy to refuse recertification to change the category and labeling of goods for the Russian market.. President of the Union of Winegrowers and Winemakers of Russia Leonid Popovich called the decision of his French colleagues "blackmail without any evidence".
The legislative framework, concerning the wine market in Russia, emphasizes Maxim Chernigovsky, very young, therefore, various collisions occur frequently.
“The Russian law on viticulture and winemaking is only one year old, I have no doubt, that the French colleagues from Moet Hennessy in the very near future will be given the legislative opportunity to supply their products to the Russian Federation as champagne ", - he summed up.
Today, Russia has a very large share of imports of expensive sparkling and champagne wines: in total, about 50 million liters. Of them 13 percent - champagne from France. At the same time, Moet Hennessy products occupy only two percent, or 600 thousands of liters, consumers of which are about a million people. In monetary terms, these indicators are measured 20 million US dollars.
Alexander Melnik
