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.

This forum brought together over 250 participants, including the major Ukrainian vitivinicultural companies. Discussions focused on the state of the vitivinicultural sector and its prospects surrounding the key issues: vineyard development, modernisation of companies, standardisation and the evolution of the regulatory framework in accordance with international standards.

The OIV Director General, after having praised the quality of discussions during this forum, gave a presentation on the OIV and its missions, highlighting the main developments of the vitivinicultural sector at the global scale and the major issues for the future. He particularly insisted on the importance of the standardisation of products, according to international standards, to ensure their quality and meet consumer expectations on both the internal and export markets.

The forum was extended by the Ukrainian Wine Festival, during which the wines and brandies of the major companies in the sector were presented.

With a vineyard surface area of 45 000 hectares, Ukraine produces almost 1 million hectolitres of wines and brandies. The country has almost 150 such companies.

During Jean-Marie Aurand's visit, he also had a meeting with the First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, Stepan Kubiv, in order to examine the prospects of the Ukraine returning to the OIV.

This will take place in Punta del Este on 19-23 November 2018, on the general theme of "Shaping the Future: Production and Market Challenges".

The Uruguayan Minister for Agriculture, Mr Tabaré Aguerre, confirmed his country's full commitment to the success of this event.

Jean-Marie Aurand, after paying a visit to the location where the Congress is set to take place, expressed his great satisfaction with the way in which the various actors involved are mobilising more than a year in advance, and especially with the high level of involvement of the INAVI (National Institute of Vitiviniculture).