The Regional Government extends aid to promote wine exports to nine years

The Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development of Castilla-La Mancha has modified the regulatory bases and the call for grants for the promotion of wine in third-country markets through Order 140/2026, of October 2, published in the Official Gazette of Castilla-La Mancha (DOCM) number 194, of October 8, 2026. The regulation, signed by Minister Julián Martínez Lizán, extends the maximum duration of actions aimed at market consolidation from three to nine years and adds a call for the 2027 financial year charged to the 2028 annuity. The extract is published with the identifier BDNS 667124 and the official reference [2026/7208].

The order modifies Order 251/2022, of December 27, which specified the regulatory bases for these grants within the wine sector intervention of the Strategic Plan for the Common Agricultural Policy (Pepac) for the 2024-2027 period. The change responds to the new wording of Royal Decree 905/2022, of October 25, following the approval of Royal Decree 610/2026, of July 22, published on July 24, which adapted the regulations for the fruit and vegetable, wine, and beekeeping sectors. It also incorporates the effects of Regulation (EU) 2026/471, of February 24, 2026.

Nine years to consolidate markets

Article 4.1 of the order now allows promotion and communication actions for wines with a protected designation of origin (PDO) or protected geographical indication (PGI) and wines indicating the winemaking grape variety to receive a maximum of two extensions of up to three years each. Consequently, each beneficiary may receive aid for different programs in the same market for a maximum period of nine consecutive years, compared to the previous three years.

The limitation applies per beneficiary and third-country market, taking into account the combination of country, region, action, sub-action, and target audience. The extension aligns with Article 58.1 of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 and with community marketing regulations for the wine sector.

New criterion for small producers

The modification introduces the definition of small producer in Article 2: anyone who produces an average of less than 1,000 hectoliters of wine per vine-growing season, calculated based on the average annual production of four consecutive seasons starting from the July monthly declaration of Infovi. This incorporates a specific priority criterion to facilitate access to financing for these holdings.

The prioritization scale is distributed over 100 points:

• Programs submitted by new beneficiaries: 25 points.
• Programs targeting new countries or third-country markets: 25 points.
• Castilla-La Mancha specific criteria: 50 points, with 25 for wines with PDO or PGI, 8 for programs promoted by women, 5 for youth, 4 for Eapir or APPaa entities of Castilla-La Mancha, 3 for organic wine, 2 for facilities in priority areas of Decree 52/2018, 1 for wine producers and 2 for small producers who are new beneficiaries.
• Programs that do not reach 25 points in the prioritization phase will be excluded.

Deadlines, calls and financing

For programs executed in 2027, the application period will be 15 business days from the day following the publication of this modification in the DOCM. In general, the annual period begins on May 1 and ends on June 2. The 2027 actions will be executed between March 1 and December 31, 2027, and those of 2028 between March 1 and December 31, 2028, called by resolution of the Directorate General of Agri-Food Production and Cooperatives.

The provisional list of admissible programs will be sent to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food before February 1, 2027, and the final list will be communicated to the Directorate General of Food before April 30, 2027. Payments will be fully financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF), through the Paying Agency of Castilla-La Mancha, charged to budget applications 21.05.0000.G/718A/47316, 21.05.0000.G/718A/48316 and 21.05.0000.G/718A/43316, fund 0000000290. The call for 2028 is subject to the existence of credit in the European fund for the 2028-2034 period and its inclusion in the regional and national CAP plans.

The regulation enters into force the day following its publication in the DOCM, that is, October 9, 2026. For wineries and wine cooperatives in Castilla-La Mancha, the change means having a horizon of up to nine years to consolidate their presence in third-country markets, in addition to a new scoring criterion that favors small producers and programs with differentiated quality wines.

Source: Official Gazette of Castilla-La Mancha, no. 194, of October 8, 2026, section I, pp. 34616-34621 (official reference: 2026/7208).