The National Office of Vine and Wine of Moldova signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding with the Central Inspectorate for Fraud Repression and Quality Protection of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Policies of Italy. The sides will cooperate in ensuring quality in the wine industry, the protection of consumer rights and the respect for intellectual property rights, IPN reports.
“During the last few years, the National Office of Vine and Wine has made considerable effort to develop the wine industry and improve the quality of the Moldovan wine, which we consider our national pride. The signed document will enable our winemakers to learn from the Italian winemakers how to apply good practices and techniques in making and supplying wine,” stated the Office’s director Gheorghe Arpentin.
The memorandum envisions the creation of a communication platform to prevent and counteract violations in the production and sale of wine products. Technical assistance will be provided in applying the European legislation concerning winemaking and winegrowing, especially as regards the wines with Protected Geographical Indications and Protected Designations of Origin.
Stefano Vaccari, head of the Central Inspectorate for Fraud Repression and Quality Protection, who signed the document on behalf of the Italian side, said the Italian experience in wine quality control is useful.
“This practice is not punitive in relation to producers, which is it does not affect their activity, but helps keep the reputation of the wine and this is the goal we pursue by signing the memorandum – to help increase the reputation of Moldovan wines among consumers. We are glad that Moldova makes wines of a high quality and the Moldovan wine has a nice history,” stated Stefano Vaccari.
The signatories intend to cooperate in accordance with their area of responsibility, without interfering or doubling the area of activity of other national, European or international institutions. There will be staged seminars, conferences and professional training courses for representatives of the wine industry and mutual working visits.
“In Moldova, when it is about the wine, the food products in general, the appraisals are sometimes based on emotions. We should inform all our wine producers that there are parameters that must be strictly respected and there are intellectual property rights. I hope quality improvements will be witnessed in the wine sector in Moldova when the provisions of this memorandum are implemented,” noted Gheorghe Arpentin.
