The European Commission has approved 26 programmes in 14 Member States to provide information on and to promote agricultural products in the European Union.

The total budget of the programmes is €56.9 million, of which the EU will contribute €26.1m. For the first time programmes proposed by the new Member States have also been approved (by Hungary, Poland and Cyprus).

Under a Council Regulation on information and promotion actions for agricultural products on the EU internal market, 14 Member States submitted 32 programme proposals. The Commission selected 26 programmes proposed by those Member States (Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Finland, the UK, Hungary, Poland and Cyprus) as eligible to receive financing.

As well as fruit and vegetables, plants and flowers, the programmes cover organic products, olive oil, milk and cheese, ham, wine and protected denominations of origin or geographical indications (PDI/PGI).

The approved programmes are the first series for the year 2005. The annual EU budget available for promotion programmes in the agriculture sector is €48.5m.