Luis Planas: New international markets open up opportunities for fine Spanish wines

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, in the group photo of the meeting

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, stressed that the opening of new international markets offers great potential for the Spanish wine sector. According to Planas, the recent trade agreements between the European Union and Mercosur, India, and Indonesia "open opportunities for fine Spanish wines", which "we must take advantage of with coordinated and sustained action".

The Minister conveyed this message to the members of the Spanish Conference of Wine Regulatory Councils (CECRV), which currently comprises 58 protected designations of origin, during today's meeting, which focused on international promotion opportunities for the wine sector.

The minister stressed the importance of joining forces with all sector stakeholders-such as the interprofessional organisation, regulatory boards, and other government agencies-to boost the positive image of Spanish wines abroad.

Planas stressed that "to maximise this potential, it is necessary to move towards an international promotion strategy based on structured, multi-year campaigns under the Spain Food Nation umbrella", which will strengthen the visibility of Spanish products and support companies in adapting to the regulatory requirements of each market.

To this end, since 2020, the ministry and ICEX have developed collaboration agreements. The latest agreement, in effect until September of this year, has a budget of over €8.4 million. Within this framework, a new agreement for 2026-2027 is currently being processed. Each edition of these agreements is adapted to consumer trends and the specific characteristics of the most relevant international export markets.

Currently, Spain exports €3 billion worth of wine, "but there is room to significantly increase that figure, as has already happened in other agri-food sectors", Planas emphasised.

International Plan for Spanish Gastronomy

The meeting also addressed the content of the International Plan for Spanish Gastronomy, in the preparation of which the sector has actively participated. This plan, which will be presented next Monday, 9 February, seeks to strengthen the international projection of Spanish gastronomy as a cultural, economic, and social driver, highlighting the link between wine, gastronomy, and tourism.

In this context, Luis Planas underscored the role of wine as an essential element of Spain's identity and culinary culture, "capable of offering experiences that connect the consumer with the territory, tradition, and innovation of the sector".

The minister also highlighted the European Commission's new wine package, which will be definitively approved this month and will come into force in the spring. This package incorporates key tools to support winegrowers and wineries, such as greater flexibility in planting and replanting authorisations, supply regulation mechanisms, and official recognition of lower-alcohol or non-alcoholic wines, thus strengthening the sector's competitiveness and sustainability.

Planas also encouraged making the most of available European instruments, such as European promotion programmes, as well as the wine promotion aid provided by the Wine Sector Intervention (ISV) in third countries, which has almost €56 million allocated for promotional activities in those countries.

Non official translation