Luis Planas highlights that the Spanish wine sector is at the forefront and an example of economic development

The minister also stressed that it is a leading sector in innovation and research, whose commitment to excellence and differentiation has made Spain a leader in the production of quality wines.

Luis Planas took part today in the presentation ceremony of "Barcelona Wine Week", a nationally and internationally prestigious trade fair, which between 6 and 8 February 2023 will bring together more than 700 wineries, 60 designations of origin, regulatory councils and other representatives of the wine sector at the Fira de Barcelona. Under the slogan "Spain, a unique mosaic of soils", the fair will offer a programme of conferences, tastings and pairings to highlight the great wealth of soils that make up the Spanish wine-growing territory.

During the presentation, the minister highlighted the economic importance of the wine sector, both in terms of the value of production and the jobs it generates. He also pointed out the high quality standards of Spanish wine, the high degree of technological development of the sector and the prestige enjoyed by its production throughout the world, which makes Spain the largest wine exporter. This is a reflection, said the minister, of the fact that "the world of wine is the one that has best adapted to changing consumer trends".

Looking to the future, Planas encouraged the sector to work in unison to meet the new demands of the markets in aspects such as the information provided to the consumer in labelling and applying innovation to gain in sustainability.

He also pointed out the importance of promoting campaigns to boost food products in national and international markets. To this end, the ministry has launched the Food from Spain strategy, in which wine has a prominent place. He mentioned that the campaigns that are developed through the Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX), and the European and third-country programmes are fundamental for increasing the internationalisation of Spanish wines.

"Support for the sector is a priority for Spain", said the minister, who referred to the Programme of Support for the Spanish Wine Sector (PASVE), which includes hugely important measures for the sector such as investment intervention, a key element for boosting its competitiveness and sustainability. He pointed out that in the last three years, €610 million have been invested, which represents a high level of execution of the available funds, at 98%.

The minister recalled that in the strategic plan of the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), this programme will be renamed Intervención Sectorial Vitivinícola (Wine Sector Intervention), and includes investments for processing and marketing, and for promotion in third countries, with a budget of €55.6 million euros, within a total budget of more than 200 million euros in annual aid for the sector.

Planas referred to the differentiated quality figures as a very valuable tool for differentiating production and providing added value that improves the income of winegrowers. As he pointed out, the Designations of Origin and Protected Geographical Indications, in addition to being the spearhead of exports, provide clear benefits for the development of rural areas and territorial cohesion.

Non official translation