12/01/2018 (Agence Europe) – On Friday 12 January, the European Commission launched its 2018 calls for proposals for campaigns to promote European agri-food products. It has decided on a budget of €179 million to co-finance the promotion programmes (as compared with €133 million in 2017 - see EUROPE 11905). This budget comes on top of an envelope of €9.5 million provided for Commission-led actions (including sales offensives, trade fairs, communication campaigns). Two thirds of the budget will be dedicated to promoting EU products worldwide and to finding new markets, mainly third countries with strong growth potential. New areas include a sum of money specifically for sustainable sheep and goat meat on the internal market; another sum for promoting healthy eating and the consumption of fruit and vegetables in the EU; and further calls for proposals in cases of market disruption.