CONTROL BOARD PLENARY

Composition and functions of the Control Board

ORDER APA/795/2004 of 25 March 2004 of the Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs amended articles 39, 40, 41 and 42 of the Regulations of the D.O.Ca. Rioja in order to make it possible "to constitute the Control Board with the same level of representation and accountability as the Rioja Wine Interprofessional Organization, in accordance with the eighth additional provision of the Spanish Law of Vine and Wine, besides introducing the necessary changes in its functions and form of operation."

The Control Board Plenary, management body of the Designation appointed by the Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs and accountable to this ministry, consists of 32 members representing six winemaking and nine grape-growing associations, i.e. all the associations in the Rioja wine industry. These 32 members also constitute the Board of Directors of the Rioja Wine Interprofessional Organization, whose president, is also president of the Control Board pursuant to current regulations. Also members of the Plenary, although without the right to vote, are the representatives of the Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs and of the Public Administrations of the Autonomous Communities of The Rioja, Basque Country and Navarre.

Article 40 of the Regulations states that the Control Board is responsible, "in addition to the functions set forth in the provisions of a general nature which apply to it, and those attributed in this Regulation," for the following: complying and enforcing the regulations, recommending any internal provisions that may be necessary to carry these out, and ordering the implementation of any agreements adopted; governing and managing the activities of the Control Board as well as organising its internal structure and services; administering the revenue and funds of the Control Board and arranging for payments; recruitment, renewal or dismissal of personnel; keeping the Public Administration informed as to any incidents taking place in production or on the market and, finally, sending interested Bodies the agreements passed by the Control Board for general compliance thereof.

With regard to the functions to be carried out by the President of the Control Board, "who will be the president of the board of directors of the Interprofessional Organization and who, in accordance with its Articles, may either be a member of the Board or someone from outside", article 41 confers upon this person the legal representation of the Control Board before any public or private entity, Administration, Body, legal or arbitration authority with the further mandate to chair sittings and moderate the progress of debates, regulating deliberations and votes; to ensure that laws are complied with; to endorse the Minutes and Certificates of the Board's agreements and to exercise any other function specifically designated by the Laws, Regulations or the Plenary.

Finally, it is worth pointing out, with regard to the operational structure established in article 42, that the Board will meet a minimum of once every two months as well as whenever deemed necessary by the President or requested by at least 15% of the total votes; that agreements will be adopted by a minimum of 75% of the votes either present and/or represented, with at least 50% of votes from each professional sector, the President not having a casting vote.

Renewal of the Control Board Plenary

At the end of the four year term of the Control Board Plenary, it was renewed pursuant to the Ministerial Order dated 10-3-2008 which appointed the new Board, consisting of the members of the Board of Directors of the Rioja Wine Interprofessional Organization, elected on 15 February 2008. This Board of Directors, consisting of representatives of all legally-constituted organisations in the Rioja wine sector -nine representatives of grape growers and six representatives of wine makers- renewed their confidence in Víctor Pascual Artacho as the person most suitable to continue holding the presidency of both the Interprofessional and the Control Board.

The 32 members of the new Control Board, of which 27 are repeating term, constituted the new Plenary on 14 March. At the meeting, the new Permanent Committee was created. This Committee sets the agenda for plenary sittings and deals with any procedural or urgent issues that may arise between one plenary sitting and the next. The five working committees and their respective chairs (who in turn serve on the Permanent Committee) were also appointed. These are the Promotional Committee, chaired by José Luis Benítez (GRUPO RIOJA), the Technical and Control Committee chaired by Fernando Ezquerro Cuevas (FECOAR), the Regulations Committee, chaired by Inés Baigorri Uribe (ABRA), the Administration, Personnel, Finance and Internal System Committee, chaired by Luis Alberto Lecea Blanco (ASAJA) and the Strategic Plan Analysis and Implementation Committee chaired by Iñigo Torres Andrés (ABCTR).