The European Commission has adopted simpler rules for EU agri-food promotion policy, reducing administrative and financial requirements for beneficiaries and Member States. The changes will make the programmes easier to implement, and benefit organisations applying for EU funding.
Drawing on 10 years of experience in managing these programmes, the rules also simplify administrative procedures.
Member States and beneficiaries will have more time to conclude contracts and complete necessary procedures. The simplified rules will help in particular smaller beneficiaries in the implementation of their programmes by allowing higher pre-financing, with the maximum rate increased to 30%. Lastly, the Commission reduced the reporting obligations on the impact of simple programmes. The beneficiaries will now be obliged to notify the Commission with only one final notification.
EU promotion policy co-finances programmes that promote EU agri-food products and rewards farmers and agri-food businesses for their efforts to meet the highest quality, safety and environmental standards on a competitive global market. Since 2016, more than 650 campaigns have been co-financed by the European Commission with the common signature – ‘Enjoy, it’s from Europe’, strengthening the reputation of EU agri-food products within the Union and around the world. The promotion policy has also supported the implementation of free trade agreements and helped with the positive evolution of the EU’s agri-food trade balance in agri-food over the past decade.
More information is available online.
