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Mr. Guionnet: We must develop and expand access to different markets. To help achieve it, some of our effort will be spend on petitioning for adjustments in taxes and custom duties on our products. To help sales, we will address, among other items, issue of labeling of our products. This, for example, is an important element that has not been changed for nearly 100 years. And yet, a buyer of Cognac needs to see clearly what she or he is buying. We will accelerate promotions of Cognac. Our main priority is to reclaim our position in the French market that we lost to other spirits, for example whisky. We have tripled our advertising and promotion budget for 1999 to about 25 millions francs. We will continue to defend Appellation d'Origine of Cognac. This will include targeting of fake products around the world, misuse of the name Cognac and various Cognac trade marks and we will insist on the proper identification of real Cognac products.

TN: You mentioned tripling of advertising and promotion budget in 1999. Does this mean that BNIC will triple its spending on the Police Thrillers Film Festival in Cognac?

Mr. Guionnet: No, we will take a back seat and let others like City of Cognac, for example, take a lead. Let me add, that increasing advertising and promotion budget for 1999 was done to promote Cognac as a grape eau-de-vie, to defend and educate about Cognac' Appellation, to promote new labeling, new Cognac based derivative products (aperitifs, for example) and so on.

TN: At the same time, the Bordeaux wines association announced their 1999 advertising and promotion budget at about 200 millions francs. That is 8 times bigger budget that for Cognac. Can anything be done to further increase Cognac advertising and promotion budget?

Mr. Guionnet: We will make every effort to find additional funding but we must also be realistic. 

TN: What are your priorities within the BNIC?

Mr. Guionnet: Team work. I have confidence that the staff at BNIC can and will work as a team. We, together, must concentrate on developing relations with other organizations in different Appellation (i.e. Champagne region), we must network with others whose situations are similar to ours. Our 1999 employment budget is set. Next year we will carefully review our 2000 budget. Of course, our main mission is to expand all markets for Cognac, in France and around the world.

TN: What are your expectations vis à vis Paris?

Mr. Guionnet: I am very optimistic. We have already seen signs that all levels of government are paying close attention to our situation. With the recent change at the Ministry of Agriculture, we have noticed a new attitude. But, we must do our work as well.

TN: The new plan for viticulteurs had a mixed reception. Your comments, please?

Mr. Guionnet: It must be understood that this is a voluntary plan. Our Cognac producing region must diversify. How to go about it is very much dependent on the individual viticulteur' needs. For example; succession, fiscal situation etc. We must not forget that one of our strength is that the Viticulteur Charentaise is very independent and very individualistic.

TN: Will we see mergers among viticulteurs?

Mr. Guionnet: They are not impossible. However, we already see groups of viticulteurs that organize their commercial activities. That is one of the options open to the viticulteurs.

TN: There number of organizations that promote Cognac for example Caves Particulieres,  Les Bouilleurs de Cru de la Région d'Appellation Cognac and so on. Are there too many or too few and is the message getting lost?

Mr. Guionnet: Caves Particulieres and Les Bouilleurs de Cru complement each other very well. They promote sales of Cognac. 

TN: Many young people in the region are leaving their family vineyards. How do you propose to stop this trend?

Mr. Guionnet: We must educate our youth. We must show them opportunities.  One of the most interesting initiative that I have seen recently, was Pierre Forgeron's La Nuit du Cognac that attracted a large number of young people. To this end, I will talk with my team at the BNIC and I hope we can organize for example, Portes Ouvertes (Open House) at BNIC.

TN: Portes Ouvertes at BNIC, if done during the tourist season, would be a great idea that will benefit the youth and the tourists. We would like to thank you for your time and wish you success.