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Agriculture and rural development

Americas

Overview of the EU's agricultural trade with countries in the Americas, including trade agreements and agri-food trade statistics.

United States

The United States is one of the European Union's top partners in agricultural trade.

Negotiations with the US were concluded in February 2019 on reviewing and updating the Memorandum of Understanding between the two partners on imports of high-quality beef.

The United States is a major destination for several high-value EU products, such as:

  • wines and spirits
  • beer
  • chocolate
  • cheese
  • olive oil
  • fruit and vegetable preparations.

The EU is also a key market for a number of major US commodities, such as:

  • nuts (almonds walnuts, pistachios)
  • soybeans
  • animal feed
  • wheat
  • wines and spirits
  • fruit, nuts, and spices.

Amongst the agri-food priorities for the EU in its trading relationship with the US are:

  • securing enhanced access to the US market for products such as dairy, processed meat products, sugar confectionery, chocolate and olive oil;
  • ensuring a high standard of sanitary and phytosanitary requirements are adhered to;
  • protecting geographical indications (GIs) for important EU products.

Agreements with the US currently in force

Related information

EU-US trade

26 MAY 2023
Agri-food trade statistical factsheet – USA
English
(504.21 KB - PDF)
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Canada

Canada is an important agricultural trade partner for the EU.

The top exported products from the EU to Canada are alcoholic beverages (especially wines, spirits and beer). Other products include chocolate and sugar confectionery, cereal preparations and cheese.

Canada is a major supplier of wheat to the EU. It is also an important supplier of soya beans and oilseeds (such as rapeseed), as well as some fruit and vegetables (including beans, lentils and peas).

In September 2017, the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) provisionally entered into force, but still requires ratification from all EU countries. The agreement sets out to cut tariffs and protect GIs for a number of EU agri-food products.

Related information

CETA agreement

CETA and agriculture factsheet

EU-Canada trade

24 MAY 2023
Agri-food trade statistical factsheet – Canada
English
(387.5 KB - PDF)
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Mexico

EU agricultural trade with Mexico is balanced slightly in favour of the EU. The EU primarily exports alcoholic beverages (spirits and liqueurs, wines), cereal preparations, gluten and starch, olive oil, tropical fruit, nuts and spices, among others.

From Mexico, the EU imports beer, coffee, alcoholic beverages, fruit juices, leguminous vegetables and citrus fruit, among others.

The EU and Mexico reached an ‘agreement in principle’ on the trade part of a modernised EU-Mexico Global Agreement in April 2018.The new agreement sets out to improve market access for agricultural products for both parties. The agreement also protects 340 EU GIs and 20 Mexican GIs. A robust sanitary and phytosanitary chapter (SPS) was agreed, which safeguards EU standards for food safety, as well as for animal and plant health.

Related information

EU – Mexico agreement in principle

EU – Mexico agreement: factsheet on agriculture

EU-Mexico trade

25 MAY 2023
Agri-food trade statistical factsheet – Mexico
English
(396.64 KB - PDF)
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The Andean countries

The EU has a comprehensive trade agreement with Colombia and Peru, which has been provisionally applied since 2013. The agreement, joined by Ecuador in 2017, provides benefits for trade in agri-food products. It also provides for the recognition and protection of 116 EU GIs and several GIs from Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

EU–Andean agricultural trade is balanced in favour of the Andean countries, who supply the EU with:

  • bananas (primarily Colombia and Ecuador)
  • other fruit
  • vegetables
  • coffee (primarily Colombia and Peru)
  • cocoa beans
  • cut flowers (primarily Ecuador and Colombia).

EU exports of agri-food products follow a growing trend since the application of the trade agreement and mainly consist of:

  • food preparations
  • spirits and liqueurs
  • vegetable, fruit and nut preparations
  • olive oil
  • infant food
  • wine.

Related information

Colombia-Peru: Trade Agreement

Ecuador: Trade Agreement

EU-Andean Community trade

Agri-food trade statistics

24 MAY 2023
Agri-food trade statistical factsheet – Bolivia
English
(374.8 KB - PDF)
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24 MAY 2023
Agri-food trade statistical factsheet – Colombia
English
(727.9 KB - PDF)
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25 MAY 2023
Agri-food trade statistical factsheet – Ecuador
English
(396.97 KB - PDF)
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25 MAY 2023
Agri-food trade statistical factsheet – Peru
English
(398.6 KB - PDF)
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23 MAY 2023
Agri-food trade statistical factsheet – Andean community
English
(399.08 KB - PDF)
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Central America

Traditionally, trade in agricultural products with the six countries of Central America (Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Nicaragua) has focused on coffee and banana imports into the EU.

In June 2012, the EU and the Central American region signed a new Association Agreement, providing both sides with increased market access for agricultural goods.

The agreement provided benefits for the EU’s wine and spirits sector, as well as for dairy and meat exports. The agreement also established the concept of GIs in the domestic legislation of all six countries, reinforcing the position of EU quality products in these markets.

For the Central American countries, the agreement consolidated the GSP+ (General System of Preferences 'plus') regime of trade concessions, and added tariff rate quotas on products such as sugar and rum. Banana exports from the region will also benefit from a gradually lowering preferential tariff, reaching a limit of 75 EUR per tonne in 2020.

The main EU imports from Central America are:

  • tropical fruit
  • nuts and spices
  • coffee
  • tea
  • palm and palm kernel oils
  • vegetable products
  • bulbs, roots, and live plants.

The main EU exports to Central America are:

  • spirits and liqueurs
  • infant food
  • preparations of vegetables, fruits and nuts
  • malt
  • wine, vermouth, cider and vinegar.

Related information

EU-Central America trade

Full text and annexes of the agreement

EU-Central America Association Agreement

Agri-food trade statistics

24 MAY 2023
Agri-food trade statistical factsheet – Costa Rica
English
(398.71 KB - PDF)
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25 MAY 2023
Agri-food trade statistical factsheet – El Salvador
English
(375.22 KB - PDF)
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25 MAY 2023
Agri-food trade statistical factsheet – Guatemala
English
(393.56 KB - PDF)
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25 MAY 2023
Agri-food trade statistical factsheet – Honduras
English
(398.79 KB - PDF)
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25 MAY 2023
Agri-food trade statistical factsheet – Nicaragua
English
(378.68 KB - PDF)
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23 MAY 2023
Agri-food trade statistical factsheet – Central America
English
(390.59 KB - PDF)
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Chile

The EU-Chile Association Agreement concluded in 2002 (of which the free trade agreement forms a part) is currently in the process of review and modernisation.

EU-Chile trade relations are governed by a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) which entered into force in February 2003.

Chile is traditionally a minor destination for EU agricultural exports, but a significant supplier of agricultural imports to the EU.

Chile supplies the EU with a wide variety of products, including:

  • vegetables and vegetable preparations
  • fruit, in particular grapes, apples and pears
  • tropical fruits, nuts and spices
  • wines
  • vermouth, cider, and vinegar
  • nuts
  • fruit juices.

Amongst the main products exported by the EU to Chile are:

  • food preparations
  • fruit and vegetable preparations
  • spirits and liqueurs
  • cheese
  • pasta, pastry, biscuits and bread
  • animal feedstuffs.

Related information

Free Trade Agreement

EU-Chile trade

Agri-food trade statistics

Mercosur countries

Mercosur countries (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay; Venezuela*) are major suppliers of agricultural products to the EU.

The top product categories imported from Mercosur countries include:

  • oilcakes
  • soya beans
  • coffee
  • tea
  • bovine meat
  • fruit juices.

Argentina is a top supplier of bovine meat, while Brazil is a leading provider of poultry meat, sugar (mainly raw cane sugar), and ethanol.

The main exports from the EU to the Mercusor countries are:

  • olive oil
  • spirits and liqueurs
  • vegetable preparations
  • wine and vermouth
  • cider and vinegar.

In 2019, the EU concluded an agreement in principle with the four founding member countries of Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay), removing high tariffs for the main EU export products, preventing imitation of EU traditional foodstuffs, and making food safety procedures easier to follow for EU exporters.

*Venezuela's Mercosur membership is currently suspended

Related information

Inter-regional Framework Cooperation Agreement

EU-Mercosur trade information

EU-Mercosur trade agreement: factsheet on agriculture

Agri-food trade statistics

24 MAY 2023
Agri-food trade statistical factsheet – Brazil
English
(411.79 KB - PDF)
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24 MAY 2023
Agri-food trade statistical factsheet – Argentina
English
(386.03 KB - PDF)
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26 MAY 2023
Agri-food trade statistical factsheet – Uruguay
English
(375.58 KB - PDF)
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25 MAY 2023
Agri-food trade statistical factsheet – Paraguay
English
(380.08 KB - PDF)
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26 MAY 2023
Agri-food trade statistical factsheet – Venezuela
English
(341.05 KB - PDF)
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24 MAY 2023
Agri-food trade statistical factsheet – Mercosur
English
(392.3 KB - PDF)
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