The large promotion drive with its headline figure of €111m, which we revealed back in September, is called “Enjoy, it’s from Europe”, and is aimed towards helping the sector’s professionals break into or consolidate international markets.

The struggling dairy and pigmeat sectors get €30m out of the overall €111m package, and the promotion programme is targeting a selected list of third countries where there is the highest potential for growth in relation to these sectors.

Commissioner Hogan has said he will personally lead the new export offensive designed to open up new world markets for EU produce. The business trips will include missions to Iran, Colombia, Mexico, China, Japan and the USA.

Speaking in Brussels this morning, Commissioner Hogan said: “Europe’s agri-food produce is second to none in the global marketplace. The €110 billion EU export market creates jobs and growth in rural areas across Europe. I am delighted to unveil this new export drive, which will see €111 million leverage further opportunities for EU agri-food produce in new markets, as well as grow our presence in existing markets. I am particularly pleased to announce the ring-fencing of €30 million for the troubled milk and pigmeat sectors as part of the recently announced €500 million agri-markets package. I look forward to mounting a diplomatic offensive in the coming months, leading trade missions to open further opportunities for EU producers across the globe.”

The new scheme of promotion will be in place from 1 December 2015, following member state and European Parliament approval of new regulations around the promotion of agricultural products in October last year. Under the new rules, the Commission will make more resources available for promotion, increase the co-financing rate from 50% to 70%-80%, and cut the red tape for the approval of projects.

European aid for agri-food promotion is earmarked to increase progressively, from €61m in the 2013 budget to €200m in 2019.