The EU's food promotion policy for 2022 highlighted the risk of cancer and encouraged a shift towards plant-based diets. The budget decreased from 191.6 million euros in 2019 to 185.9 million euros in 2022 and 2023.
In 2021, the European Commission wanted to completely abolish subsidies for meat advertising, but this did not happen due to pressure from the agricultural lobby and conservative parties in the European Parliament.
Half of the budget will again be spent within the EU next year, and the other half mainly in regions with "high growth potential," such as China, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, but also North America, New Zealand, and Australia.
Under the motto "Enjoy it, it comes from Europe," these campaigns aim to increase the visibility of EU products and draw attention to farmers' efforts to produce quality food, according to Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski.
All sectors, except tobacco, are eligible for EU subsidies. Registration opens on January 19. Projects may only be evaluated and approved based on their merit, and no product may be discriminated against, he added.