From the AP:
France, the land of wine, is planning heavy taxes on beer, and that is not going down well with brewers - even in other nations.
President Francois Hollande is pushing through legislation to increase taxes on beer by 160 percent to help fund struggling social programs as France tries to contain a budget deficit hit hard by the economic crisis.
The tax would affect local brews and the 30 percent of imported beer the French drink.
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Outside France, Belgium and Germany would be worst affected once the new legislation kicks in, said Pierre-Olivier Bergeron, head of the Brewers of Europe.
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Still, the Brewers of Europe said in a statement that beer is `'being singled out" compared to wine.
Bergeron said he believes that's because of the French government's reluctance to raise the tax on the country's favorite alcoholic beverage.
What does everyone think? Is this discrimination? Are the products directly competitive or substitutable?
