Enhancing EU agricultural sector competitiveness

Globalisation, the economic downturn, intensified EU market competition and rising food prices all burden Europe's food production and distribution. These and other factors that impact the competitiveness of the European agri-food supply chain need to be looked at collectively.


Thanks to EU funding, the COMPETE project aims to provide a deeper understanding of competition by exploring the entire food supply chain instead of focusing on farms or food manufacturers independently.


During the first reporting period, work began with a study of existing literature on agri-food industry competitiveness and an examination of the current supply chain situation.


By implementing an integrated supply chain approach, the project analysed how policy, technology, markets, governance and innovation factors have changed and how they have influenced companies and countries in the identified EU agri-food chains.


A comprehensive analysis was carried out in areas such as policy involvement, the EU business climate, agriculture and food processing output, domestic and international market operations, governance and food processing innovations.


These findings will enable project members to determine the EU's global market position compared with its main competition. The team is conducting a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis of the EU agri-food industry that will lead to coherent policies at all levels designed to enhance competitiveness.


COMPETE will support the delivery of better agricultural and competition policies. EU policymakers will then be in a better position to strengthen the competitiveness of the agri-food chain and to promote the knowledge based bio-economy in Europe.