The Vice-President of the OIV, Ms Monika Christmann, affirmed the importance of all the OIV Member States and consumers particularly by presenting the OIV Merit to Mr Dirk de Maeseneer (Belgium), who for 15 years actively participated in the work of the OIV, especially during the period of re-establishment of the Organisation.

Mr Alejandro Marianetti (Argentina) received the Merit Award from the Director General of the OIV, Mr Jean-Marie Aurand, who praised the agricultural engineer's career serving his country as part of the National Institute of Vitiviniculture (INV) as well as within the OIV, and also as a representative of all of the Institute's collaborators for their involvement in the organisation and the success of the World Congress of Vine and Wine.

Mr Yves Bénard, Vice-President of the OIV, gave an award to his oenologist colleague from Morocco, Dr Ahmet Kamal, who took part in the activities of the OIV for 34 years and was an adviser at the state company for agricultural development and Director of the state company Sincomar, which manages the production, packaging and distribution of 80% of wines in Morocco.

Finally, it was with a great deal of emotion that the President of the OIV paid tribute, posthumously, to his Argentine compatriot and former President of the INV, Mr Raúl Horacio Guiñazú, for his national and international action in the wine sector and his determining role in Argentina's active participation within the OIV.

During an interview with the Director General of the OIV, he recalled the long-standing viticultural tradition of Bosnia and Herzegovina, some of whose native vine varieties – such as Zilavka and Blatina – are part of the world wine heritage.

Jean-Marie Aurand stated the importance of each OIV Member State actively participating in the scientific and technical activities of the Organisation and called to mind that, in 2012, the OIV recognised the specific characteristics of Bosnia and Herzegovina's viticulture by presenting the OIV Award to the book "Hercegovina Zemlja Vina - Hercegovina Wine Country" by Branimir Martinac.

In response to the invitation from Professors Vasco Boatto – President of the University of Padova and Director of the University Centre for Research in Conegliano – and Eugenio Pomarici – Professor at the University of Naples and President of the OIV "Economy and Law" Commission – the Director General of the OIV visited the Conegliano Interdepartmental Centre for Research in Viticulture and Oenology on 9-10 December 2014.

On this occasion, before an assembly of teacher-researchers, students and professionals in the vitivinicultural sector, Jean-Marie Aurand gave a presentation on the OIV and the main issues for the wine sector in the years ahead.

The Conegliano Interdepartmental Centre for Research was founded in 1876 – making it the oldest in Italy. It provides professional and academic training in the fields of viticulture and oenology, as well as conducting research in these areas.

The trip was extended to include discussions with members of the board of directors of the "Consorzio" for the protection of Prosecco and visits to companies in the sector. These meetings resulted in a number of conversations about the state of the wine market and its developments.