Russia suspends Champagne label law until year-end - French minister

Makers of Russian "shampanskoye" may continue to use that term alone. The law outraged French champagne producers and led the French government to threaten action at the World Trade Organisation.

Russia has agreed to suspend until Dec. 31 a new law that forces French champagne makers to label their bottles as sparkling wine, French deputy trade minister Franck Riester said on Tuesday.

"After many discussions, Russia is establishing a moratorium on the implementation of its wine law until December 31. We will continue our efforts to protect our exporters in the long term," Riester said on Twitter. The law required foreign producers of sparkling wine to describe their product as such in Cyrillic characters on the back of the bottle - though not on the front, where they can use the term champagne. Makers of Russian "shampanskoye" may continue to use that term alone.

The law outraged French champagne producers and led the French government to threaten action at the World Trade Organisation. Champagne industry group CIVC had asked its producers to boycott Russia following the introduction of the law in July but producers said last month they had decided to resume exports.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)