Wine Law

THE 2019 RUSSIAN LAW ON VITICULTURE AND WINEMAKING 499 Ordinance was issued for the appointment of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture as such federal executive authority, which received functions for the development and implementation of State policies, as well as the development of additional legal regulation within the framework of Federal Law No. 468. In particular, the Ministry is charged with recognising land plots as vineyard lands and establishing the allowed technological rules and methods for wine production. In this context, are expected no less than ten new normative acts to be adopted 53 . The appointed authority must also monitor the physicochemical, microbiological and sensory properties of viticulture and wine products, being specialised accredited laboratories responsible for the fulfilment of this task, while the conformity of the sensory properties is assured by the Central Tasting Panel affiliated with the Ministry (art. 44). Moreover, according to article 45, a strong incentive for civil involvement is created with provisions concerning public control over the compliance with Federal Law No. 468. It could be exercised by citizens and public associations or other non-governmental organisations, including self-regulatory organisations of winegrowers and winemakers, which may establish public monitoring commissions, public inspections, civic watch groups and other organisational structures of informal control. A wide range of tools is listed, including:  to participate in the development of mandatory requirements to viticulture and wine products;  carry out independent evaluations of their quality and safety:  to exercise public control over the compliance with the rights of consumers and responsible producers;  to report any violations of the rights of consumers;  to make proposals to the federal executive bodies or organisations to take measures to improve the quality of viticulture and wine products;  to submit materials to the prosecutor's office or federal executive bodies on fraudulent production or sales, applying to the court for the protection of consumer rights; or  to participate in obtaining grants from public or private funds to develop public control over the production and circulation of viticulture and wine products and others. 53 Source: https://mcx.gov.ru/press-service/news/minselkhoz-rossii-opredelen-upolnomochennym- organom-po-realizatsii-zakona-o-vinogradarstve-i-vinodel/.