Castilla-La Mancha confronts EU water directive dispute while expanding wine grape varieties

Regional leaders in Castilla‑La Mancha are locked in a policy dispute over the EU Water Framework Directive. PP regional president Paco Núñez warned that applying the directive without extensions could force the closure of irrigation wells, cut water allocations by two‑thirds and cost the region up to €277 million a year in agricultural output and €600 million in GDP. He accused the governing PSOE of “leaving farmers without water” and called for a postponement of the directive’s 2027 deadline.

At the same time, the regional government led by PSOE president Emiliano García‑Page announced the addition of 14 new grape varieties to the area's wine registry, aiming to strengthen the viticultural sector and support the Common Agricultural Policy that has “multiplied agricultural income fifteen‑fold”. The move is presented as part of a broader strategy to protect regional agricultural identity, boost employment in cooperatives and secure food sovereignty.

Both initiatives illustrate the region’s focus on balancing water management and agricultural diversification amid European policy pressures.