Brussels has approved 33 new programmes to promote agricultural products — but nothing yet to help move the surplus of pigmeat on the continent, according to the National Pig Association.
Worth £76m, the programmes will contribute to opening new markets for European Union products and to increasing consumption within the European Union.
Measures financed from the European Commission's promotion fund for farm products can consist of different types of campaigns highlighting the advantages of European Union products, especially quality, food safety and hygiene, nutrition, labelling, animal welfare and environmentally-friendly production methods.
The selected programmes cover a range of product categories, including dairy products, but also meat, fresh and processed fruit and vegetables, quality products protected under the three European Union geographical indications schemes, and olive oil and organic produce.
Out of the 33 selected programmes, 20 target the internal market and 13 target third countries such as China, the Middle East, North America, South-East Asia, Japan, South Korea, Africa, Russia and Australia.
Two of the accepted programmes are so-called multi-programmes proposed jointly by organisations in different member countries.
Today's programmes constitute the final wave of programmes under the old Brussels system. From next month, new promotion rules will introduce a number of changes, including a wider scope of eligible products and an increase in European Union co-financing rates.
There are two successful applications from Britain, one for promoting dairy products to European Union consumers, and the other to promote fresh fruit and vegetables to British consumers.
