EU Promotion Policy helps EU agri-food sector professionals to finance information and promotion campaigns for breaking into international markets and making consumers more aware of the efforts made by European farmers to provide quality products. This policy is fundamental for the promotion of EU quality schemes in the internal market and in third countries and AREPO is currently contributing to its review.
Introduction
What is a promotion programme?
A promotion programme is a coherent set of operations which can include advertising campaigns in the press, on television, on radio or on the Internet; point-of-sale promotions; public relations campaigns; participation in exhibitions and fairs, and a range of other activities. It can be a B2B campaign or B2C campaign.
It shall be implemented over a period of at least one year but no more than three years.
Information and promotion programmes may consist of “simple” programmes or “multi” programmes:
A simple programme is a promotion programme submitted by one or more proposing organisations from the same MS. It should be implemented in at least two MS or in only one MS if different from the MS of origin of the proposing organisation(s).
A multi programme is a programme submitted by at least two proposing organisations from at least two Member States or one or more European organisations.
Beneficiaries
- Trade and inter-trade organisations representative of the sector;
- Producers’ organisations and their associations recognised by the Member State.
- Producers’ groups within the meaning of Art. 3 of Reg. 1151/2012 on quality schemes.
- Agri-food bodies with a mission of public interest in charge of promotion of agricultural products.
Annual work programme
An annual work programme is published each year to take into account market opportunities and changing priorities. It adapts the basic framework to the needs of sector. Defined with the involvement of the stakeholders and Member States, the annual work programme:
- Sets out the priorities in terms of markets and sectors in need;
- Defines the allocation of resources;
- Defines the eligibility, exclusion, selection and award criteria to be applied.
Current developments
On the basis of the results of the evaluation process of EU Promotion policy carried out in 2020, the European Commission launched in 2021 the review of EU Promotion Policy.
In order to meet the objectives of the Farm to Fork strategy, this review will aim to enhance the contribution of promotion policy to sustainable production and consumption, while maintaining or even increasing the policy’s effectiveness in supporting the agrifood sector’s competitiveness.
Once completed the public consultation, the Commission is currently working on the legislative proposal which should be published in the first quarter 2022.
