On 8 April, Salvatore De Meo (EPP, Italian) will present his draft report on the promotion of EU agricultural products to the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture, in which he opposes the introduction of new eligibility criteria for access to funding, as well as any restrictions on the promotion of certain types or categories of products provided for in the Regulation (see EUROPE 13792/22).
The draft report assesses the effectiveness of Regulation 1144/2014, which governs promotional activities within the internal market and in third countries. In 2025, this policy mobilised an EU budget of €132 million.
The text underlines the strategic importance of multiple programmes which promote cooperation between Member States and the integration of the internal market. However, it highlights a persistent imbalance between the high demand for funding and the resources available.
SMEs, which account for the majority of beneficiaries, continue to face complex and costly administrative procedures.
Salvatore De Meo is calling for administrative simplification and fairer access to funding.
He also stresses the need for greater budgetary flexibility amid economic and geopolitical instability.
Some funding allocations, particularly those for organic products, are considered to be underutilised and insufficiently aligned with actual demand.
Finally, the slogan ‘Enjoy, it’s from Europe’ is praised for its positive impact, particularly in third countries. The draft report advocates for the joint use of the slogan and national origin marking, and warns against subordinating promotion policy to other European strategies.
Link to the draft report: https://aeur.eu/f/lfn (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)