Communication on reaching an agreement conferring special status on the European Union within the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV)

The International Organisation for Vine and Wine (OIV) is an intergovernmental scientific and technical organisation active in the sector of vines, wine, wine-based drinks, table grapes, raisins and other vine products. It was set up by an international agreement signed on 3 April 2001 in Paris and is the successor to the International Vine and Wine Office, set up in 1924 by an international arrangement on 29 November 1924. As of 1 January 2016, the OIV had 45 member countries, including the main producer-countries, with the exception of USA, Canada and China. 19 EU Member States are members of the OIV: Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, France, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Cyprus.

At EU-level, the OIV’s main standards codes (International Oenological Codex, International Code of Oenological Practices, the Compendium of International Methods of Analysis of Wine and Musts, the International Standard for labelling wines and spirits of vitivinicultural origin, and the Compendium of international methods of analysis of spirituous beverages) fall under the remit of the common agricultural policy or the harmonisation of laws for the establishment and functioning of the internal market. Consequently, to the extent that OIV resolutions may affect the acquis or alter its scope, and where it is made necessary by the exercise of its internal competence, the EU has exclusive competence in the area. For this reason, before these resolutions are voted on in the OIV, the Council must take a common position on behalf of the EU.

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