A notice of meeting published by the Council of the European Union schedules a meeting of the Working Party on Wines and Alcohol (OIV) for 9 September 2026 at 14:30 in the Justus Lipsius Building, Brussels. The working party will prepare the EU's position for the 24th General Assembly of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), scheduled for 16 October 2026 in Yinchuan, China, and discuss implementation of the OIV Strategic Plan 2025–2029.
The meeting agenda includes the adoption of the agenda, examination of a proposed Council Decision, a draft Presidency text, and a Commission non-paper to define the EU's stance at the General Assembly. An exchange of views on structural and procedural changes related to the OIV Strategic Plan 2025–2029 is also scheduled. The working party, which operates under the Council's LIFE.1 secretariat, will finalise the EU's negotiating position ahead of the General Assembly.
No prior coverage of this file exists in the available record. The meeting is a preparatory step for the EU's participation in the OIV General Assembly, where member states will coordinate on wine and vine policy issues. The OIV is an intergovernmental organisation that sets international standards for vine products, and the EU is a key member. The strategic plan implementation discussions may address reforms to OIV governance, working methods, or priority areas for the 2025–2029 period.
The outcome of the working party will feed into the Council's formal adoption of the EU position, likely at a subsequent Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting. The General Assembly in China will address technical and regulatory matters affecting the global wine sector, including EU producers and exporters.