Americans to continue to produce 'Champagne'

The Champenois are horrified but the French in general were the first to congratulate the European Commission on the wine agreement finally drafted at the end of last week after 22 years of negotiations between the US and the European community.

As with all these things it is basically a question of totting up the tits against the tats and convincing both sides they have come away with a great deal. The Americans have agreed to allow all EU wines into the US without having to go through the punishing certification procedures they have threatened. And Europe needs all the...