On this occasion, he recalled the modification made in 2017 to the Harmonised System (HS) Nomenclature of the World Customs Organization with the creation, at the request of the OIV, of the new 2204.22 subheading regarding wines in containers holding more than 2 litres but not more than 10 litres.

The HS is used by over 200 countries, as well as economic or customs unions, to draw up national customs tariffs and establish international trade statistics for the purposes of classifying goods traded around the globe.

Before 2017, the HS only comprised two subheadings: 2204.21, which identified wine in containers of 2 litres or less, and 2204.29, which identified wine in containers of more than 2 litres – the latter being generally defined as bulk wine.

Operators are therefore looking forward to the first statistics, which will make it possible to distinguish wines intended to be packaged in containers of under 2 litres from those sold in volumes of between 2 and 10 litres, and those sold in volumes of over 10 litres.

On this occasion, during a presentation of the wine sector, Ms Gabriela Matečná, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, highlighted the variety of terroirs that determine a rich variety of quality wines. The Slovak Republic is implementing a programme of modernisation, which endeavours to promote the use of new vine varieties and native vine varieties, as well as encouraging initiatives with the aim of developing wine tourism. The Small Carpathian Wine Route, which runs along the vineyards of almost 400 grape growers, is an illustration of this.

Around 15 companies took part in the tasting that followed the presentation.

Jean-Marie Aurand praised the quality of the existing relations between the OIV and the Slovak Republic, which supports the guidelines and work of the Organisation. The Director General also made reference to the action of H.E Ambassador František Lipka as President of the OIV Award Jury, which every year recognises authors and editors of works on different aspects of vitiviniculture (technical, economical, historical or cultural).

With a surface area of 16,600 ha and production of 310,000 hL of wine per year – 70% of which were designation of origin wines – the Slovak vitivinicultural sector has seen a major revival.

Journals, advertising and commercial documents are not accepted.

An award-winning book or not awarded book will not be presented to the Jury a second time.

2 submission forms : http://oiv.int/en/the-international-organisation-of-vine-and-wine/oiv-awards or jurydesprix@oiv.int

● Paper printed books and / or .PDF format / Kindle in the 10 categories.

● Interactive digital tool only in the first five categories : 1-Viticulture, 2-Œnology, 3-Vitivinicultural Economy and Law, 4-History, Litterature and Fine Arts, 5-Wine and Health.

Job description

Provide secretarial services for the Viticulture Commission, the Table grapes, raisins and unfermented vine products Sub-Commission and associated expert groups.

More information and recruitment conditions

Application form (our website only allows documents in pdf format. To request the application form in word format please contact job@oiv.int)

In February, at the OIV headquarters, the General Secretariat of the Organisation hosted numerous students from different training programmes who wished to explore different aspects of the global vitivinicultural field and its international governance.

Students on the Master II in International Administration at Paris Panthéon-Assass University discovered the legal aspects of the management of an intergovernmental organisation and its specific characteristics, while those on the Master II in Wine and Spirits Law at the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne looked at the legal issues of the sector related to geographical indications or labelling, and students on the Bachelor Sc in International Wine Business (IWB) at Hochschule Geisenheim University focused on economic developments in the sector and markets.

The Director General of the OIV was heavily involved in these meetings in order to exhibit the missions of the OIV and the way it functions, and to present the major trends and issues in the sector. Before these students, who came from 10 or so different countries, Jean-Marie Aurand also recalled the importance and investment of the OIV in training upcoming generations who will be called upon to manage the sector. The Organisation conducts this in particular via the "Training" Expert Group, which has defined minimum levels of training for the positions of oenologist and sommelier, and also through the database of international vitivinicultural training programmes.