Malta participates in international wine body

In the light of the recent restructuring and promotion of the Viticultural and Oenological sectors through the investments of vintners and grape growers, Malta has taken steps to take its place in the international arena by becoming a member of the International Office of the Vine and Wine – the OIV.

OIV is an international organisation which currently includes 46 member countries. Its scope is of a scientific and technical nature working in the field of vine and vine-based products. Its main objective is the contribution to the international harmonisation of practices and norms to improve the trade conditions in the vine and wine sectors.

In actual fact the scientific and technical committee of O.I.V. is made up of three commissions dealing with Viticulture, Oenology and Vitivinicultural Economy respectively. These three commissions address various aspects such as vine selection, wine technology and economic analysis and outlook.

Malta has been an observer country of the O.I.V. since 25th June 2001. Full membership was attained in October last year through a resolution approved during the 81st General Assembly held in Adelaide, Australia. Prof. Salvino Busuttil, Ambassador for Malta in Paris, has been nominated Malta’s delegate to the OIV.

Malta will be actively participating in the various scientific and technical meetings of the OIV The first involvement is the participation in the Reunion of the Groups of Experts which is currently being held in Paris. These meetings were attended by George Carbone and Randall Caruana, from the Viticulture and Oenology Unit within the Department of Agriculture.

Malta is also actively participating in a sub-committee within OIV that has been created to specifically cater for small wine producing islands. Malta is also active within this sub-committee and is striving to promote local wine made from locally grown grapes.