Yves Bénard elected President of the OIV

Known for his manager career in the champagne branch, Yves Bénard concerned himself for years with the structural development of local, national and international organizations and professional associations like the industrial committee for champagne (CIVC), Montpellier SUPAGRO, the companies of big French wines (EGVF), the national institute for origin and quality (INAO), the European committee for wine producers (CEEV) and the international University association for wine and vine products (AUIV).

Yves Bénard, who has been taking part in the scientific-technical committee of the OIV for several years as an expert, is the first French to be elected for this office, since 1962. In 1962, baron Pierre Le Roy, who also graduated from the law school in Montpellier and who also was chairman of the INAO, stepped down from the office of president of the International office for vine and wine.

"We have to provide the member states with explanations about technical questions and demonstrate our responsibilities in terms of our consumers", says Yves Bérnard after his election. He emphasized further that he would work on intensifying interdisciplinary approaches to scientific and legal discussions, particularly in light of important current issues like climate change, ongoing development and biotechnologies. The new president stressed the responsibilities of the OIV over the consumers: "our scientific surveillance has to be undisputed and indisputable and it has to play an important part in the discussion about the public education in terms of a moderate wine consumption."(aw.yoopress)