Browse Data and Analysis

The combination of COVID disruptions and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreaks led to a 1.8 percent decline in EU (European Union) chicken meat production in Calendar Year (CY) 2021. Despite ongoing HPAI outbreaks, easing COVID restrictions will likely result in a 0.2 percent increase in EU chicken meat production in CY 2022.

On May 2020, the European Commission announced a revision of the legislative framework for Geographical Indications (GIs) as part of the European Union (EU) Green Deal’s Farm to Fork Strategy.

Hong Kong continues to take random tests on imports of chilled and frozen foods and their packaging for the COVID-19 virus.

The European Commission is banning titanium dioxide (E171) as a food additive in the EU, starting with a six-month phasing out period as of February 7, 2022, until August 7, 2022, after which a full ban applies. Following the publication of Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/63 in the EU’s Official Journal (OJ) on January 18, 2022, Annex II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives will be amended accordingly.

Both EU beef and pork production are forecast to decline in 2022. The lower domestic beef production is caused by a shrinking dairy herd with higher milk deliveries but a lower output of animals for slaughter.

The European Commission launched a public consultation on the EU’s possible actions to reduce the impact of products placed on the EU market with regards to deforestation and forest degradation.

The European Commission launched a public consultation on the EU’s future action plan for the development of EU organic production.

The European Union’s countervailing duties against U.S. biodiesel were set to expire on September 16, 2020.

In 2019, U.S. shipments of tree nuts to the EU-28 (EU-27+UK) reached $3.1 billion. The United States continues to be the largest supplier of tree nuts to Europe.

The European Union follows a complex, rolling system of review for use of active ingredients and Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) in food.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) put pressure on European Union (EU) slaughter rates and domestic beef consumption, and motivated farmers to hold on to their cattle.

The EU-27 chicken sector is expected to contract moderately in 2020 before rebounding in 2021.