Every year this event, placed under the patronage of the OIV and presided by Vitaly Merkushev, brings together actors in the vitivinicultural field from countries in the Black Sea area.

400 participants, wine producers, oenologists, sommeliers, distributors, researchers, government representatives and journalists from 20 or so countries took part in this meeting, whose aim was to promote economic and technical cooperation by highlighting the common vitivinicultural characteristics of the region.

During a conference dedicated to the implementation of a common working framework between the different actors, OIV Director General Jean-Marie Aurand gave a presentation on the major developments in the global vitivinicultural sector. This included a focus on the “spaces of convergence” of the vitivinicultural industry around the Black Sea, and the axes and actions for cooperation likely to be put in place.

The presentation of wines organised as part of the Forum brought together over 70 companies.

During the opening ceremony, Jean-Marie Aurand officially presented an OIV Merit Award to Lev Oganesyants, Director of the Russian Research Institute for Wine, Beer and Soft Drink Industries.

Engineer, oenologist, teacher, researcher and then professor, elected in 2015 to the Russian Academy of Sciences, Lev Oganesyants has devoted his career to the vitivinicultural sector. The author of more than 350 scientific publications and 15 or so works including one on the history of the vine and wine field in Russia, which received a Special Mention from the OIV, for many years he was the Russian point of contact and official representative within the Organisation.

The Director of the OIV expressed his heartfelt thanks to Professor Oganesyants for his continual and efficient actions to strengthen relations between the OIV and the Russian Federation.

During this meeting, the President and Director General of the OIV gave a presentation of the Organisation and welcomed the quality of relations maintained with the German authorities, as well as the high level of involvement of German experts in the work of the OIV.

The Ambassador expressed his delight with this collaboration within a sector that not only plays an important economic role (Germany falls within the top 10 wine-producing countries and is the 4th biggest consuming country), yet also has a strong cultural and historic dimension.

On this occasion, Monika Christmann gave a presentation on the situation of the world wine sector and its main development trends.

She also addressed different subjects the OIV works on and that constitute such key issues for the future of vitiviniculture: environmental issues, sanitary concerns, labelling, etc.

The OIV President praised the good collaboration with AREV, which benefits from observer status within the Organisation.

The Assembly of European Wine Regions is an association that brings together the wine-producing regions in Europe (at a politico-professional level) and whose mission is to defend and promote European viticulture. It comprises 65 regions from 18 European countries.

Before the 123 Member States of the Codex Alimentarius – and within the framework of relations between the Codex Alimentarius Commission and other international organisations – Monika Christmann participated in the round table organised under the presidency of Dr Awilo Ochieng Pernet, President of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, regarding the collaboration between the Codex and other intergovernmental organisations, particularly within the field of sustainable development.

The OIV President emphasised that the OIV was participating in several Codex projects under way and that it was actively involved, particularly in discussions concerning the provisions relative to food additives that appear in the General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA). She insisted on the need to ensure consistency among the standards of the Codex and those of the OIV, especially in relation to food additives used for grape wines.

Additionally, she declared that the OIV paid close attention to the work of the Codex as well as that of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) in order to avoid the duplication of work and the establishment of divergent international standards.

With respect to sustainable development, the President indicated that the OIV had recently developed actions taking into account not only the agronomic aspect but also the economic and societal aspects.

The OIV President concluded that it was necessary to pursue cooperation and coordination with regard to activities of common interest to the OIV and the Codex.

After beginning his career in the automotive and road safety sector, he moved into the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux du Québec (Quebec Alcohol, Racing and Gaming Control Commission), where he was President-Director General. He was passionate about the wine sector and was an initiator of the creation of the Sélections Mondiales des Vins Canada, over which he presided since 2006.

A recognised international taster, he was also involved in the creation of the World Federation of Major International Wine and Spirits Competitions (VINOFED), for which he was Secretary General, then President.

A veritable 'travelling taster' and host at all of the prestigious competitions on the planet, he was also passionate about long-distance cruises.

A member of numerous Bacchanalian fraternities – for which he also presided at the global meeting – Ghislain K.-Laflamme was a man of great culture and a lover of history, who was proud of his Breton origins and enjoyed sharing with humour many personal anecdotes from a life dedicated to law and wine.

The OIV shares in the pain of his family and friends.