Promotion of EU farm products

Promotion campaigns about EU farm products are designed to open up new market opportunities for EU farmers and the wider food industry, as well as helping them build their existing business.

There are two kinds of promotion action:

• those run by European trade or inter-trade associations, producer organisations or associations of producer organisations, agri-food bodies and co-financed by the EU;
• those run directly by the EU itself, such as diplomatic offensives by the Commissioner in non-EU countries to develop agri-food trade, or participation in fairs and communication campaigns.​

Promotion policy rules set out how EU funding can be used for information and promotion initiatives in both EU countries and countries outside the EU.

• News article
• 18 November 2024

75 EU-funded campaigns to highlight the best of EU’s agricultural products

The European Commission offers funding for initiatives that promote EU agricultural products both within the EU and globally, in line with the EU’s promotion policy. The newly selected promotion campaigns will receive €142.6 million in EU funding by the end of 2024.

Annual work programme

The Commission will allocate €132 million in 2025 to fund promotion activities for sustainable and high-quality EU agri-food products in the EU and worldwide.

The adoption of the 2025 work programme also marks 10 years of EU promotion policy.

Calls for proposals will be published on 22 January and an information day will take place in Brussels and online on 29 and 30 January 2025. Potential beneficiaries are invited to attend to gain insights on the funding opportunities and the application process.

• Press release
• 13 December 2024

Commission allocates €132 million to promote sustainable and high-quality agri-food products in the EU and worldwide

The European Commission plans to allocate €132 million in 2025 to co-fund promotion activities for sustainable and high-quality EU agri-food products. The 2025 promotion policy work marks 10 years of EU promotion policy.

2025

Promotion campaigns in practice

The Commission defines the strategic priorities for promoting EU farm products and the funding criteria in an annual work programme outlining products and possible markets.

The European Research Executive Agency (REA) puts this strategic policy into practice on behalf of the Commission.

It does this by:

• publishing calls for proposals and evaluating proposals;
• awarding grants and managing grant agreements for so-called multi programmes (that involve at least two organisations from at least two EU countries or one or more EU organisations);
• organising events and communication campaigns both inside and outside the EU.

The Commission adopts a decision to select simple programmes based on the ranking of the proposals established by REA.

Simple programmes involve one or more organisations from the same EU country. They are managed by national administrations.

Selection decisions

2024

Report on promotion policy for agricultural products

The EU's report details the implementation of the promotion policy of agricultural products in both EU and non-EU countries. Some specific objectives of the policy include increasing the competitiveness and consumption of EU agricultural products, as well as raising awareness and recognition of EU quality schemes.

The findings of the report are derived from a number of sources, including the statistics on applications and grants awarded for promotion programmes, the participation in high level missions since 2016, and feedback from evaluation questionnaires. The findings indicate that:

• the implementation of promotion policy for agri-food products has been consistent with its objectives;
• fruit and vegetables were the main product category benefitting from promotion policy co-funding;
• the promotion policy will be a key instrument to support the transition towards a more sustainable agricultural sector.

This report follows an evaluation of the implementation of the policy and will feed into the review of the policy.

Interim report from the Commission on information provision and promotion measures for agricultural products in the EU and in third countries

Staff working document accompanying the interim report

More information

Calls for proposals – promotion of agricultural products

Communicating your EU-funded promotional campaign – promotion of agricultural products

Who can apply – promotion of agricultural products

Campaigns map and statistics

Life cycle of programmes for promotion of EU agricultural products

EU Commission to spend €186 million promoting agri-food products in and outside EU in 2024