France/ Aisne mayors face regulation of liquor licenses

The Umih 02, the representative of the cafés-hotels-restaurants-discotheques, invited the mayors, presidents of associations and territorial agents to an information meeting on the licenses. The hundred or so people who gathered in the Bucy-le-Long town hall throughout the day were given a good insight into all the legislation.

What are the regulations in terms of issuing and operating liquor licenses? From this come the obligations that the mayor must respect and enforce with the establishments and associations that sell alcohol in his municipality, and by extension the sanctions incurred in case of non-compliance with the legislation.

And this one is not so simple to follow, more especially as it is relative to each department by prefectural decree. In the Aisne in September 2020, the prefect then in place, Ziad Khoury, has for example recently modified the decree of drinking establishments, the mayors are not necessarily informed of all the obligations.

A meeting that bore fruit

The meeting organized in Bucy-le-Long then takes all its meaning. The Umih 02 had proposed it in 2020 to the president of the mayors of Aisne, Thierry Routier, but the long episode Covid will have postponed it for nearly two years.

It was all the more awaited and about a hundred people from all over the department responded to the invitation: mayors, town hall secretaries, presidents of festival committees or associations, but also police officers and agents from the sub-prefectures. Jean-Claude Moulin, the legal consultant on the subject of liquor licenses, called by Umih 02 to lead this meeting, was delighted with the attendance. He informs people throughout the region and sometimes sees only 35 people in Lille.

"The meeting was successful, confirms Jean-Marie Serre, president of Umih 02, the mayors did not suspect all the responsibilities involved. To know above all that since 2011, it is the mayors who are in charge of registration and operating permits for licenses, and not Customs as before. "

"One of our roles is to remind the prefectural decree and its police of drinking establishments "

Indeed, should we also know that a seven-hour training day is mandatory to renew ten years of license rights. Other examples of regulations: the areas where alcohol is sold and distributed are protected, in other words, it is forbidden, unless an exemption is granted, to hold a village party in a stadium, a schoolyard or a hospital compound. Similarly, a sports club is not allowed to organize more than ten events with alcohol per year, five for all other associations, not to mention the type of alcoholic beverages allowed to be sold.

For its part, the Umih defends its professional corporation of the hotel and restaurant industry: "One of our roles is to remind the prefectural decree and its police of the drinking establishments, explains Jean-Marie Serre. Before, gatherings and alcohol consumption took place in village bars, but now that they are closed for many, it takes place in clubhouses and associations. We don't want to kill the club scene," he says, " we just want to enforce the regulations and revitalize the countryside. And if it is not enforced, it is the mayors who take the risks. "

The meeting in Bucy-le-Long proved to be very useful, with a large and concerned audience. The Umih 02 is already planning to propose another one in 2023, in the Saint-Quentin area.

The UMIH, the^leading employers' union in the hospitality sector

The Union des métiers et des industries de l'hôtellerie (UMIH) is the leading professional organization that represents, defends and promotes the independent professionals of the hotel and catering industry. in the hotel, restaurant, bar, café, brasserie, nightlife and seasonal industries in all regions and departments of France.

Umih is the leading employers' union in the cafés-hotels-restaurants-discotheques (CHRD) sector and one of the largest employers' unions in France, representing 71% of unionized businesses.

Its main mission is to inform and support its members in the development of their business. The Umih is the spokesperson for the sector and is the privileged interlocutor of the public authorities.

Source: www.picardiegazette.fr