The European Commission is calling for proposals for 2026 campaigns and events aiming to promote the EU agri-food sector. The amount available, €160 million, will serve to co-finance programmes that push a sustainable European agri-food market within and beyond Europe, especially in potential markets such as the United Kingdom, South Korea, China, and North America. Specifically, the money allocation will have a fair distribution of €70.3 million for promotion in non-EU countries and €79.7 million within EU countries, reserving €10 million for crisis measures.
This call is framed within a wider campaign called “Enjoy, it’s from Europe”, which has as its main objective raising awareness of the high environmental and safety standards that EU farmers uphold for their products, ensuring that EU products are valued for their quality within the EU and in international markets. Under the same slogan, more than 650 campaigns have already been launched since 2016, supporting the EU agri-food market.
The Commission’s action demonstrates the EU’s regard for the agri-food promotion policy as a political priority, as highlighted by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in the State of the Union speech in 2025. The increase in funding dedicated to this industry comes at a particularly sensitive moment after the signing of the EU-Mercosur trade deal, which has triggered widespread protests across the continent and continues to generate opposition. The measure can be seen as a compensatory effort to support EU farmers and agri-food enterprises that are exposed to unfair competition from Mercosur countries with lower production standards. Increasing the budget for the promotion of EU products could help mitigate a potential decline in sales once the trade agreement enters into force.
Sources:
European Commission, BBC, Representation of Luxembourg, European Union, European Research Executive Agency, European Commission Press
