On 29 and 30 June 1998 government and industry representatives interested in the international wine trade met in Zurich, Switzerland to discuss future development of the international wine business in a trading world dominated by the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Representatives from Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States attended the meeting.
The Zurich meeting was held against a background of rapid change and development in the international wine trade, notably:
- The dramatic increase in plantings of grape vines in New World countries, with corresponding increases in wine production volumes, most of which were aimed at export markets.
- Inclusion of agriculture issues in the then forthcoming Seattle round of the WTO.
- The review of the OIV, which aimed to make it a more relevant organisation in a trading world dominated by the WTO.
- Proposed new EU rules regarding subsidy and market regulation, and protection of so-called 'Traditional Expressions'.
- Ongoing bi-lateral discussions relating to possible wine agreements between the EU and various new world countries, with the EU seeking to increase protection and recognition of EU geographical indications for wines.
- A meeting of southern hemisphere wine producers in March 1998 that had identified a number of areas of mutual interest.
Participating countries in Zurich indicated that they all supported unsubsidized wine production, exporters and markets. They identified a common interest in developing the international wine trade and accessing international markets. They also identified significant barriers to entry and other impediments to the development of the global wine business.
At the conclusion of the Zurich meeting, Government representatives agreed to develop and distribute a number of position papers relating to the international wine trade. These position papers were to address issues such as international regulation of oenological practices, the implication of the WTO TRIPs Agreement for labeling of wine exports, wine tariffs etc.
From the private sector perspective a mission statement, objectives, implementation techniques and a list of projected future projects were developed (and agreed at the following meeting). The mission statement reads:
"The Industry Section of the World Wine Trade Group is an informal association of national representatives of the wine industry that is interested in participating in networking and information sharing to provide better access to international wine markets. This group aims to create the opportunities for its industries to achieve growth in the wine markets and to increase responsible wine consumption."