OREANDA-NEWS. December 22, 2011. Belarus’ state-run food industries concern Belgospischeprom is opposed to classifying beer as an alcoholic beverage as proposed by the Customs Union’s Regulation on safety of alcohol products, Belgospischeprom CEO Ivan Danchenko told reporters.

Belarus has raised its voice against including beer into the Customs Union’s Regulation on safety of alcohol products, which is now being adjusted by CU participant states.

Belarus believes beer should be excluded from the regulation as the brewing technology has little in common with distillation. As a product of fermentation, beer is less prone to counterfeiting than traditional alcohol products, and for that reason it must be excluded from the Regulation.

If classified as an alcoholic beverage, beer will be subject to a different set of license agreements, which will put pressure on retailers and producers, and will result in reducing sales. In the end, the beer segment of the market will be taken over by stronger alcoholic beverages.

“We believe there must a separate technical regulation for beer products, so that beer could reduce the consumption of hard spirits”, Danchenko said.