Brussels, Nov 22 (EFE) .- The president of the Spanish Conference of Viticultural Regulatory Councils (CECRV), David Palacios, today called on the European Commission (EC) to defend the Spanish wine labels in the "Brexit" negotiations, as well as in other trade agreements such as Mercosur, which is in its final stages.

"It is one of the roles of the EC defend the denominations of origin in these new markets. European Federation of Origin Wines (EFOW, in English), held today in Brussels.

Palacios, also vice president of EFOW, referred to the negotiations of the agreement that the European Union (EU) carries out with Mercosur (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay), which the EC expects to close by the end of this year, and in which one of the stumbling blocks has been the recognition of Protected appellations of origin (PDO) in the text.

An issue that also affects the negotiation of "brexit", said Palacios, which "worries" the sector.

" showcase for our wines and of course that will affect us. competitive, "he said, and asked the negotiators to work for the defense of European and Spanish quality brands.

According to data published today by EFOW, between 2012 and 2016 Spain maintained as the third country in the world in wine production, with 42 million hectoliters and a growth of 1% in four years, only behind Italy (46 million) and France (45 million), whose productions fell, respectively, by 5 and 13%.

The EU remains "the first player in this market", according to EFOW, although consumption falls on the continent, Faced with a boom in the global figure, from 228 to 242 million hectoliters consumed worldwide, driven by the middle class in countries of South America and Asia, including China, where the intake of wine increased 128% between 2012 and 2016.

However, consumption fell in France (18%), Italy (1%), Spain (14%) and Portugal (3%) It is "the largest vineyard in the world, it has to grow in value, not in volume".

Of the total national area, 85% corresponds to areas potentially suitable for the production of PDO wines and 8% for Protected Geographical Indications (PGI).

"In Spain there are 69 PDO and many times the consumer looks at a dozen," he admitted.

In this efforts of the Spanish DOP for its internationalization, "which should be promoted from the EU", and noted that although "the quality of all of them is more than demonstrated, that exporting character in some of the regions it was later than in others. "

At the congress, in which the representatives of some twenty Spanish wine labels were present, the President of the CECRV also pointed out the need to regulate the rights of plantation and new plantations from 2030, date in which the current system expires, and to provide solutions to stop the effects of climate change in the sector.

Palacios hoped that the regulation of wine plantations will be included in the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), whose reform will begin to debate next week.