Australia named Chair of this week’s World Wine Trade Group forum

Australia has assumed the role of Chair of the World Wine Trade Group for 2024. In this role, Australia will be responsible for overseeing the group’s goal of supporting wine trade between its nine member countries, along with hosting the World Wine Trade Group meetings this week in Adelaide. Australia’s leadership position will be shared between Australian Grape & Wine and the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry, with support to be provided by the Australian Wine Research Institute and Wine Australia.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for Australia to showcase our expertise and leadership in trade and market access to key international wine partners,” said Lee McLean, Chief Executive of Australian Grape & Wine.

“The WWTG plays a critical role in removing trade barriers and supporting the global wine sector, and we are excited to lead these efforts in 2024.”

Matt Lowe, Deputy Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Policy, added: “Our time as Chair of the WWTG will give us the stage to advance the group’s trade priorities, strengthen collaboration with other members, and highlight the people, places and stories that make Australian wine unique.”

As Chair, Australia was also chosen as host of the World Wine Trade Group 2024 meetings, which are currently underway in Adelaide and will finish on Friday 1 November. Included in the proceedings is an International Wine Regulatory Forum, two days of meetings, and visits to sites such as Penfolds' Magill Estate, the Australian Wine Research Institute, and the McLaren Vale wine region.

According to McLean, “Chairing the WWTG gives Australia an opportunity to lead and shape international trade rules and establish strategies for the future which support the success of our wines in international markets. It’s about removing red tape and cost to create the right conditions for Australian wine to thrive in global markets.”

Similarly, Lowe believes that the responsibility as Chair could deliver some much-needed support for the currently struggling sector.

“This partnership between government and industry enhances our engagement and contributes to achieving better outcomes for the sector,” he said.

“It provides Australian exporters with better access to other WWTG markets without some of the costs and frustrations of trade barriers based on differences in regulation… Opening up more trade opportunities for our wine producers will contribute to overcoming the current oversupply of wine in Australia and support industry to grow towards a $100 billion agriculture, fisheries and forestry industry by 2030.”

The nine World Wine Trade Group members include Australia, Argentina, Canada, Chile, Georgia, New Zealand, South Africa, United States of America, and Uruguay. Since being founded in 1998, it has worked to facilitate international trade in wine and currently has five active agreements, available here.

“This role is made possible by the close partnership between Australian Grape & Wine, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Wine Australia, and the AWRI,” concluded McLean.