October 12th – DIJON, France – The Wine Origins Alliance (WOA) last week participated in the first annual Vine and Wine World Trade Forum, hosted by the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV). This event brought together wine industry stakeholders from around the world to discuss sustainability challenges, non-tariff measures and other topics pertaining to the international trade of vine and wine products.
As part of the event, WOA shared its perspective during a roundtable discussing “Non-Tariff Measures: Barriers or Catalyst to the Vine and Wine Trade?” Morgen McLaughlin, Executive Director of the Willamette Valley Wineries Association, presented the Alliance’s viewpoint on these issues and explained the impact that non-tariff measures have on global trade in wine.
“While we are competitors on the global market, we all agree that our industry is stronger when we recognize that every wine region has unique characteristics that produce unique wines, that wine place names shall be protected, and that our regions are best served by free and fair competition,” said McLaughlin. “Harmonizing regulations and reducing non-tariff barriers will help strengthen consumer demand and choice, set high standards for fair, truthful and accurate labeling, and strengthen our industry as a whole.”
For nearly two decades, the Wine Origins Alliance has been a unified force in the global wine industry working to eliminate trade barriers on wine, including the lack of protection for wine region names around the world. Its members represent nearly 90,000 wineries and grape growers that have generated more than one million jobs and more than $8 billion in global wine exports.
Last November, WOA was granted observer status at OIV, allowing its member regions to exchange information, attend and participate in events such as the Vine and Wine World Trade Forum. In addition to Willamette Valley, other member regions in attendance last week included Bordeaux, Bourgogne/Chablis, Champagne, Provence, and Rhône Valley, France; Napa Valley, United States; and Tokaj, Hungary. During the event, members also had the opportunity to meet with officials from the European Commission, International Trade Centre, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Following the Vine and Wine World Trade Forum, WOA members convened to reaffirm their shared commitment to advocating for the protection of wine region names and the elimination of other barriers to trade in wine, including tariffs and non-tariff barriers. For more information about the Wine Origins Alliance, visit www.origins.wine.
About the Wine Origins Alliance
The Wine Origins Alliance, previously known as the Joint Declaration to Protect Wine Place & Origin, works to ensure wine region names are protected and not abused or miscommunicated to consumers worldwide. Members represent regions in Baja California, Barossa, Bordeaux, Bourgogne/Chablis, Champagne, Chianti Classico, Douro & Porto, Finger Lakes, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry, Livermore Valley, Long Island, McLaren Vale, Missouri, Monterey County, Napa Valley, Oregon, Paso Robles, Provence, Querétaro, Rhône Valley, Rioja, Santa Barbara County, Seneca Lake, Sonoma County, South Africa, Texas, Tokaj, Victoria, Walla Walla Valley, Washington state, Western Australia, Willamette Valley and Yamanashi. For more information, visit origins.wine or follow the Alliance on Twitter and Facebook.
