The slight decline in employment in EU food and drink industries that started during Q4 of 2010, continued during Q1 of 2011 and reaching a rate of -1.4% compared to the previous quarter. Consequently, employment has fallen back to the same level as the same period last year.
The EU trade balance for food and drink products increased by +41% in Q4 of 2010 compared to the same period of 2009 and approached a figure of €3 billion.
Prices of imported food products from outside the EU continued their marked increase in Q1 of 2011 noting a peak in March 2011, amid a repeated decline of the Euro, as shown in the following graph.
The EU registers a positive trade balance of €2.4 billion with the Mediterranean region1 in the food and drink trade. The value of EU exports to the region amounted to €4.3 billion in 2010, registering an increase of +40% over the last decade. Imports of foodstuffs from the Mediterranean region to the EU increased during the same period by +50%.
Warsaw, June 2011 – Mr. Andrzej Gantner, Director General of PFPŻ, Polish Federation of the Food Industry was interviewed to mark the Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union from July to December 2011.
FoodDrinkEurope- represents the European food and drink industry - the leading industrial sector and major EU employer and exporter. FoodDrinkEurope's role is to represent the food and drink industries’ interests, at the level of both European and international institutions. Membership of FoodDrinkEurope includes 23 national federations, 3 observers, 26 European sector associations and 19 major food and drink companies.
For further information, please contact: Lisa McCooey, Communications Director / Tel: + 32 2 508 10 24 - l.mccooey@fooddrinkeurope.eu
