This event, placed under the patronage of the OIV and a member of VINOFED (the World Federation of Major International Wine and Spirits Competitions) includes 5 major competitions: Riesling du monde, Pinot Gris du monde, Gewürztraminer du monde, Sylvaner du monde and Pinot Blanc du monde). The previous year, 850 wines from 21 countries were presented.
The OIV President previously participated in the 13th Bacchus Wine International Competition in Madrid, between 20 and 24 March 2015. This competition, placed under the patronage of the OIV, collected nearly 1651 wine samples from 18 countries.
During these international competitions, Claudia Quini assumes the role of OIV’s expert commissioner to ensure the respect of the OIV standards for international wine competitions. Each year, only around thirty international competitions have the OIV’s patronage, which ensures comparable organisation conditions, selection and awards.
The theme for World Health Day 2015 is Food Safety, a theme of high relevance to all people on the planet, and multiple stakeholders, including government, civil society, the private sector, and intergovernmental agencies.
As our food supply becomes increasingly globalized, the need to strengthen food safety systems in and between all countries is becoming more and more evident. That is why the WHO is promoting efforts to improve food safety, from farm to plate (and everywhere in between) on World Health Day.
WHO helps countries prevent, detect and respond to foodborne disease outbreaks - in line with the Codex Alimentarius, a collection of international food standards, guidelines and codes of practice covering all the main foods and processes. Together with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), WHO alerts countries to food safety emergencies through an international information network.
To contribute to the safety of the consumers and take their expectations into account is one of the strategic axes of the new OIV Strategic Plan 2015-2019.
In this framework, the OIV participates to the food safety through its network of experts and in particular the works of the group of experts "Food Safety" which establishes opinions on the new proposed oenological practices and sets limits for certain contaminants.
Moreover, the OIV adopted, several Code of Good Practices in order to limit the presence of certain undesirable compounds in particular Ochratoxin A, biogenic amines and more recently a Code of good fining practices for wine to be applied in the use of proteinaceous wine fining agents with allergenic potential.
Among the various points of the agenda, a particular point concerned the additives and their provisions for the food category 14.2.3 “Grape wines and its sub-categories”.
Grape wine is part of Annex 3 for which the additives that are recognised for use in the grape wine category and subcategories should be evaluated case by case.
In 2014 the Committee agreed to establish an electronic working group, to collect information on the functional classes, on the appropriateness of setting good manufacturing practice (GMP) or a numerical maximum use level as well as the actual levels of use.
During this 47th session, the Committee endorsed the recommendation to adopt at Step 8 the draft provision for carbon dioxide (INS 290) in food category 14.2.3 “Grape wines” with a maximum use level at “GMP” and to revise the Note 60, associated in order to limit CO2 content in finished still wine at 4000 mg/kg at 20 °C”;
The Committee also endorsed the recommendation to establish an EWG to develop a discussion paper, for the next session, which would assist to analyse the specific provisions of food category 14.2.3 and its sub-categories case-by-case.
It was noted that the concern was not about the safety but about the technological justification of the provisions.
During a meeting with the Secretary of State for Agriculture, José Diogo Albuquerque, the Secretary recalled the importance that his country, as a founding member of the OIV, attached to the work of the Organisation. He also confirmed his desire to maintain the strong presence and involvement of Portuguese experts in the various working groups.
A working meeting organised with representatives of the Scientific and Technical Committee of the OIV National Committee (a body that, within the IVV, liaises between the various players in the vitivinicultural sector and coordinates the standpoints of Portugal with the OIV) allowed for discussion of different topics on the Organisation's work agenda.
The visit to PORVID (the Portuguese Association for Vine Diversity) provided an opportunity for a presentation on work carried out to preserve vine diversity in a country that has a large number of native vine varieties. This work will be presented during the OIV meetings in April.
Finally, while visiting several vineyards that were representative of the diversity of Portuguese viticulture, Jean-Marie Aurand engaged in a number of discussions with sector representatives.
During this meeting, Mr Jean-Marie Aurand recalled the missions of the OIV and elaborated on the challenges faced by the vitivinicultural field as they are defined in the 2015-2019 OIV Strategic Plan. He also emphasised the involvement of the South African experts within the OIV, expressing the wish that this may be expanded into the table grape sector, where the expertise of South Africa is recognised in international markets.
H.E. Mr Rapulane Molekane stressed the importance of consensus regarding the methods by which OIV standards and recommendations are drawn up. He also expressed his satisfaction with the cooperation between his country and the OIV, adding that he would like to see strengthened collaboration where issues related to water management are concerned.
