December 18, 2001

The Office of the United States Trade Representative announced that the governments of the United States, Canada, Australia, Chile and New Zealand signed today in Toronto the Mutual Acceptance Agreement (MAA) on Oenological (winemaking) Practices. This wine trade agreement is a major development that promotes greater international wine commerce and eases trade barriers for U.S. wine, particularly for California wine which accounts for more than 90 percent of U.S. wine production.