Press Release: High Level Forum to take on challenges of food sector

The European Commission has decided to extend the mandate of the High Level Group on the Competitiveness of the Agro-Food Industry, upgrading it to a High Level Forum to improve the functioning of the food supply chain as regards contractual relations, logistics and competitiveness.

The agro-food industry represents 2% of Europe's GDP and 13.5% of total employment in the EU’s manufacturing sector. It consists of approximately 310 000 enterprises, including some global leaders. It continues to play a fundamental role in satisfying the needs of consumers and contributes an annual production of more than € 600 billion to the EU economy.

However, the entire European food supply chain has entered a period of adjustment. Consumer preferences are changing as a result of income and lifestyle developments as well as shifts in population. Customer concerns about food safety, health and prices have also imposed stringent requirements on the sector.