Strong Member States’ support for enhancing the EU promotion policy

Farm Europe and Eat Europe welcome the strong political message delivered at the latest Agriculture and Fisheries Council, where ten Member States, led by Italy and supported by several other ministers during the debate, called on the European Commission to reverse the proposed cuts to the EU agricultural promotion budget.

This initiative confirms the concerns that Farm Europe and Eat Europe first raised when the Commission announced its intention to reduce the 2027 promotion budget by almost 50%, from €205 million to €112 million. Such a decision would weaken one of the EU’s most effective instruments to strengthen the competitiveness of its agri-food sector.

“EU promotion policy is not a cost but a strategic investment,” said Yves Madre, President of Farm Europe. “It is essential to promote the European production model, its high environmental, social and quality standards, while supporting farmers’ incomes and helping European businesses expand into new markets. At a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty, shifting trade relations and an accelerating race to open new export opportunities, this policy is more strategic than ever.”

Farm Europe and Eat Europe underline that promotion policy generates tangible economic value by supporting quality schemes, geographical indications, and the international competitiveness of European agriculture. It is also a key instrument to ensure that consumers around the world recognise the added value of European products and the standards behind them.

“Even more worrying than the scale of the cut is that promotion is repeatedly considered a “disposable” policy. One year the budget is increased, the next it is drastically reduced, while resources are shifted between different budget lines – to the detriment of the predictability that farmers and agri-food businesses need,” said Luigi Scordamaglia, President of Eat Europe. “This creates the impression that the Commission is simply taking money away with one hand and returning part of it with the other, without any real reinforcement of the promotion policy. Such an approach undermines the confidence of businesses and Member States and makes long-term planning virtually impossible.” 

Farm Europe and Eat Europe call on the European Commission to heed the clear message sent by Member States and restore a promotion budget that reflects the strategic importance of the policy. If the EU is serious about strengthening its agricultural sector and expanding its presence in global markets, its political ambitions must be backed by stable and adequate financial resources.