The livestock unit density interactive map shows the density of livestock farming in relation to other data including environmental and sectoral indicators, which help monitor the performance of the CAP.
The goal of this map is to identify areas for sustainable agriculture development and make informed policy decisions.
Overview
The European Union is one of the world’s largest poultry meat producers and a net exporter of poultry products with annual production of over 13 million tonnes.
The EU imports high value poultry products, including breast meat and poultry preparations, mainly from Brazil, Ukraine and Thailand, while it exports poultry products for which domestic demand is lower.
Poultry falls under the common market organisation (CMO) framework of the EU, which serves several functions, including providing a safety net for agricultural markets and laying down minimum quality standards. Poultry farmers may also receive income support through direct payments.
Market measures and marketing standards
The EU does not routinely intervene in poultry markets; however, exceptional market support measures may be introduced in cases of animal disease outbreaks or significant losses of consumer confidence.
The EU has established marketing standards for poultry to improve product quality, protect consumers and ensure consistency across the single market.
These standards set out detailed requirements that poultry products must meet in order to be marketed in the EU. In general, they provide for:
- sales descriptions and presentations;
- criteria for the quality grading;
- maximum water content limits;
- conditions for the use of terms reserved for various alternative methods of poultry production.
Related information
Trade measures
Import licences
Poultry produced outside of the EU and imported is subject to licenses, this is another method that the European Commission uses to monitor trade flows. Imports are only allowed if they comply with EU animal health and food safety standards.
Import duties
Poultry imports from non-EU countries are subject to import duties. By means of these import duties, the EU ensures that its economic operators in the sector are able compete on the EU internal market with non-EU countries.
Tariff quotas
Imports are organised by a system of tariff rate quotas, these can be based on specific country allocations or open for all countries (erga omnes). Quota volumes may change per year due to programmed increase, new negotiations or accessions to the EU.
Additional import duties
Additional import duties may be applied to poultry meat imports in order to counterbalance any unfavourable effects on the EU market. These duties apply if the imported products have a lower price than the level notified by the EU to the WTO (the trigger price).
Marketing standards
Imported poultrymeat must comply with the EU’s marketing standards, as set out in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/343. The Regulation states that imported poultrymeat bearing certain optional indications must be accompanied by a certificate issued by the competent authority of the country of origin indicating compliance with EU marketing standards.
In accordance with the Regulation, the United Kingdom* has notified the Commission of its competent authorities.
* without prejudice to the application of Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/343 to and in the United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland in accordance with Article 5(4), Annex 2, point 31, of the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland to the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community (OJ L 29, 31.1.2020, p. 7).
Legal bases
Regulation (EU) 1308/2013, article 220 – establishes a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products with article 220 indicating measures concerning animal diseases and loss of consumer confidence due to public, animal or plant health risks
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/343 – lays down rules on the marketing standards for poultrymeat, supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 and Council Regulation (EC) 1234/2007.
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/344 – lays down rules for the implementation of marketing standards for poultrymeat.
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1185 – laying down rules as regards price and production notifications.
Market monitoring
The EU monitors the poultry market in order to identify market instability, provide accurate information to farmers and processors on the market situation and to help public policy decision making.
The agri-food data portal gives market data on national and EU agriculture such as process, production, trade, tariff rate quotas.
Related information
- Market situation for poultry (PDF)
- Weekly market prices for broiler (XLSX)
- Tariff quota database
- Outlook
Committees
Various committees, composed of government representatives and chaired by a European Commission representative, meet regularly to ensure that the Commission's responsibility for adopting implementing acts is exercised under the control of EU countries.
The Expert Group on Agricultural Markets meets regularly to discuss areas such as the evolution of market prices, production and trade in the EU and non-EU countries.
The civil dialogue group on animal production maintains the role of assisting the Commission in maintaining a regular dialogue on all matters related to poultry.
Related links
The short-term outlook is based on reflections of market experts within the European Commission's Department for Agriculture and Rural Development.
This report presents the medium-term outlook for the major EU agricultural commodity markets and agricultural income, from now to 2035.
A monthly summary of price data for agricultural inputs, products and consumer food prices, at both an EU and world level.
Market data on national and European agriculture
The civil dialogue group on animal products represents five sectors: beef and veal, pigmeat, poultrymeat and eggs, sheepmeat and goatmeat, and beekeeping.
