Castilla-La Mancha boosts wine competitiveness with multi-million euro investments and rejects tariffs

El Government of Castile-La Mancha is promoting the modernization of the region's wine sector in order to increase its competitiveness in national and international markets. Second Vice President, Jose Manuel Caballero, highlighted in a recent visit to the cooperative Carmen Winery in Campo de Criptana that the regional executive has approved 100% of the applications submitted for the aid program VINATI, with a global investment of 52 million euros.

“The VINATI grants are contributing to the technological modernization of wineries and cooperatives, as well as their adaptation to make their production more efficient and sustainable,” stated Caballero, noting that 62 projects have benefited from this support. The Vinícola del Carmen cooperative, which has received more than one million euros in various funding rounds, is an example of the impact of these grants, using the funds to improve the production of quality and organic wines and optimize its energy efficiency.

A call for "zero tariffs"

From the town of Campo de Criptana, the second vice president also took the opportunity to reiterate the Government of Castilla-La Mancha's rejection of the recent tariff agreement between the European Union and United Stateswhich he considers "unfair" and harmful to the sector.

Caballero has urged the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyenand urged the rest of the organization to work towards a "zero tariff" for wine, a strategic product for the region and for Europe. Furthermore, it requested that, if tariffs are maintained on products such as wine, olive oil, and cheese, the European Union establish compensatory measures for producers.