Evin Law : MEPs vote in favour of clarification

Mardi 24 November, the new episode –famous love ones-, of the Evin law. The amendment amending the Evin law on information and advertising for alcoholic beverages, who is supposed to clarify what falls under one and which contributes to the other, was adopted by a large majority by the deputies : 102 votes against 29.

Until now, this ill-crafted law adopted in 1991 maintained a great deal of confusion and provoked self-censorship to avoid an attack –disproportionate– in justice, notably as Paris Match and Le Parisien for a dossier on the “champagne triumph”.

L’ANPAA, understand the National Association for the Prevention of Alcohol and Addictology, regularly fought legal wars with zeal, by forgetting too often its preventive role. This was the case with the ban on a poster with the slogan " Let's drink less. Let's drink better »And with an effigy of a winegrower, a glass in hand, after a trial in Bordeaux.

In 2013, it was the turn of the Taittinger house, condemned for having published in the press a poster letting it be known that the champagne produced by this famous house had been chosen for the events of the Football World Cup in Brazil. To avoid problems with ANPAA, some newspapers have protected themselves by publishing the numerous press releases of the prevention association.

The opposition still has a long arm

Wine information advocates are not yet claiming victory as the trench warfare is not over yet. “This vote secures journalistic and wine tourism information without giving more advertising rights. The regulatory context thus clarified will allow everyone to exercise their responsibility calmly. This vote does not soften the Evin law, but favors the application”, considers Joël Forgeau, president of Wine & Society, the association for the defense of wine stakeholders whose budget is much lower than that of ANPAA –1,6 million euros against 87 millions of euros-.

Already at the time of the vote of the Macron law, during summer, such amendment had been adopted by parliamentarians, then annulled by decision of the Constitutional Council, no on the merits, but on the procedure. This time, within the framework of the public health law, the chances of seeing it finally succeed are serious since the Senate, who has to examine it again soon, has already shown support for such a clarification. It will then face a second reading at the National Assembly where ANPAA will still have a chance to show its fangs by releasing new statistics on alcoholism in France.

A study conducted by the FIFG in June 2015 shows that this position, as well as the vote in the National Assembly, find a large echo in French public opinion. Indeed :

• 75% of French people questioned think that the Evin law needs to be clarified to distinguish between what relates to information and what relates to advertising on wines and spirits.
• 84% of French people are in favor of the wine tourism sector being able to advertise and promote.
• 76% of French people think that the promotion of wine tourism is compatible with the preservation of public health.
• 62% of French people trust professionals in the wine industry on the issue of the supervision of alcohol advertising.