FoodDrinkEurope supports an ambitious EU trade policy, which seeks to establish a more stable, predictable and rules-based international trade order
The EU is the world’s largest exporter and second largest importer of food and drink in the world.
The industry operates diversified food supply chains, which ensure the delivery of safe, affordable, and quality food and drink products to consumers in the EU and across the world. In 2019, food and drink exports reached a value of €120 billion, generated by businesses of all sizes with sales to more than 200 markets worldwide.
While the industry processes about 70% of the EU’s agricultural output, manufacturers also rely on imports of some key ingredients from safe, secure and traceable supply chains that are not produced in the EU or at least not in sufficient quantities, and which play a complementary role in the production of many value-added products.
EU trade policy should improve market access conditions in both traditional and emerging markets, maintain fair terms of competition, strengthen the implementation and enforcement of trade agreements, and contribute to sustainable development.
Rules-based international trade and the EU’s network of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) provide EU food and drink companies with significant opportunities to internationalise and diversify, as well as legal certainty and predictability to take effective trade and investment decisions.
