The European Commission has approved 22 programmes to promote agricultural products in the European Union and in third countries. The total budget of the programmes, the large majority of which will run for a period of 3 years, is € 71,94 million, of which the EU contributes € 35,97 million.

The selected programmes cover olive oil, milk and milk products, meat, fresh and processed fruit and vegetables, organic products, eggs, wines and spirits and horticultural products, as well as quality products registered and protected as PDOs (Protected Designations of Origin), PGIs (Protected Geographical Indications) and TSGs (Traditional Speciality Guaranteed).

By 30 November 2012, within the information and promotion scheme, the Commission services received 36 programme proposals targeting both the EU’s internal market and third countries as part of the first wave of the programme in 2013. After evaluation, 22 programme proposals were retained for co-financing, out of which 16 target the internal market and 6 target third countries. Two of the selected programmes were proposed by more than one Member State. The third countries/regions targeted are: Russia, China, North America, South-East Asia, Norway, Switzerland, Ukraine, India and South-Korea.

The measures financed can consist of public relations, promotional or publicity campaigns, in particular highlighting the advantages of EU products, especially in terms of quality, food safety and hygiene, nutrition, labelling, animal welfare or environmentally-friendly production methods. These measures can also cover participation at events and fairs, information campaigns on the EU system of protected designations of origin (PDO), protected geographical indications (PGI) and traditional specialities guaranteed (TSG), information on EU quality and labelling systems and organic farming, and information campaigns on the EU system of quality wines produced in specified regions (QWPSR). The EU finances up to 50% of the cost of these measures (up to 60% in programmes promoting the consumption of fruit and vegetables by children or concerning information on responsible drinking and the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption), the reminder being met by the professional/inter-branch organisations which proposed them and in some cases also by the Member States concerned.

For more details check on http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/promotion/index_en.htm

Henry BORZI