Browse Data and Analysis

After several years of dynamic growth, expansion in Austria’s organic market is slowing down. Organic sales increased slightly by quantity and stagnated by value in the first half of 2024.

On December 23, 2024, the European Union published Regulation 2024/3234, which officially delayed the entry into application of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) until December 30, 2025.

Bisphenol A in food contact materials is banned in the European Unions as of January 20, 2025, with a phase-in period of one to three years depending on the product.

After taking a dip in 2022, the EU organic market began to recover in 2023 as consumers’ financial situations improved. France and Germany still have the largest organic markets in the EU and growth is expected in almost every Member State until 2025.

This report outlines specific requirements for food and agricultural product imports into Austria. As a member of the European Union, Austria follows EU directives and regulations.

Austria as a member of the European Union (EU), applies EU regulations to the imports of agricultural products. U.S. export certification requirements for most products destined for the EU are harmonized.

The European Union (EU) follows a complex, rolling system of review for active ingredients and Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) in food. For agricultural inputs, U.S. farmers must know early in the process of review to prevent or mitigate the loss of, and/or access to, chemical inputs.

The European Commission will allocate €132 million (approximately $138 million) towards promotion activities for EU agri-food products in 2025.

Austria continues to be one of the leading forces in Europe opposed to the use of agricultural biotechnology. Anti-biotech NGOs, who have a strong influence on Austrian consumers, farmer organizations, the food-processing sector, and the retail sector all campaign against genetically engineered agricultural and food products.

After two consecutive years of short olive oil production, MY 2024/25 olive oil output in the EU is expected to revert to average levels on good flowering conditions and a mild summer. Fall precipitation will be critical to final production volumes.

This report provides an overview of EU food and feed legislation currently in force for the EU. USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) staff reviewed and updated all sections of this annual report.

On October 8, 2024, the European Commission approved four genetically engineered crops (corn and cotton) for food and animal feed. The four authorizations were published in the European Union’s Official Journal on October 10, 2024, and they remain valid for 10 years.