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Will SA follow the French proposed ban on discussing #wine in social media ?

We are a non-profit collective movement dedicated to save French winemakers right to promote themselves
over the Internet and social networks.
It would be a great honor if you would help us by tweeting the url of the petition http://chn.ge/11TtkFE
whose introduction is translated here below:
Don’t mess with my winemaker!
SAVE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION OF OUR WINEMAKERS!
In France, in June 2013, Professor Reynaud handed over his report to the government on validated reduction
strategies of addiction, in which he gives a set of recommendations to fight addictions, particularly regarding
alcohol consumption.
You can listen what this person is saying in French here: http://videos.assembleenationale.fr/media.12.4515#
In this report, the expert called Professor Reynaud recommends to ban the promotion of wines on the
Internet, even mentioning social networks like Twitter and Facebook.
First, we ask to deal with wines separately of spirits. The basic category of alcohol embraces many forms of
alcoholic products. By definition, wines have a lower degree of alcohol than spirits.
Furthermore, the wine industry is part of our culture and long History. Like any country, France has to keep
a dynamic market at home for reputation and economic reasons.
To sum up, we ask that legislation takes into account the difference between wine and spirits.
The wine industry is a primary source of direct and indirect jobs in 17 out of 22 regions of France (Loire,
Aquitaine, Languedoc-Roussillon, Champagne, Bourgogne, Rhone, Savoie, Provence…). The wine industry
is successful for exports and we mustn’t damage the French market.
Contrary to what is suggested in the report, social networks are already subject to regulations such as the
Evin law (“Loi Evin”): for instance, pages can’t be accessed by minors, age check before being able to enter
a website…
Today, social networks allow our winemakers to connect to people, cities, and other winemakers. At the
time of climate change, the work of winemakers is more and more difficult and those inexpensive tools give
them a chance to have a voice. They can share their activities at the vineyard, about winemaking, and
vineyard management. Usually it helps to educate people and explain their methods of production.
Would it be worth recalling once again that the winemakers are primarily farmers whose ecological,
qualitative, and economic commitments are the hallmark of a whole country called France?
Please don’t mess with my winemaker: winemakers have the right to be proud of their work and often hard
commitments.
Blocking winemakers from using the Internet is a good way to position the French industry at a lower level
compared to the competition in Europe and in the world (Australia, New-Zealand, USA, Chile…). We
believe the competition should be fair among world players.

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