EU agri-food business mission to Thailand 2026

Europe is widely recognised for its exceptional and high quality food and beverage products. From golden Mediterranean olive oils to high-quality meat and dairy products and from authentic confectionery produced using traditional recipes handed down through generations, to world-class wines, beers, and spirits – every product tells a story. Backed by strict health and safety standards European produce combines authenticity, flavour, and excellence, reflecting a rich and diverse culinary heritage. 

The conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations (currently expected in 2026) with Thailand would bring tangible benefits for EU farmers and agri-food exporters: it should reduce long standing technical barriers to trade, bring down high tariffs, import duties, and quota limitations on imports of most products from the European Union, making European agri-food products more available, cost-efficient and competitive on the Thai market.  

Through the FTA, the EU also seeks a high level of protection for nearly 200 Geographic Indications (GIs), hence facilitating a better valorisation of EU agri-food products on the Thai market. It will also bring provisions under the Sustainable Food Systems, Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) chapters to ensure that the parties will not restrict trade more than necessary and that SPS measures applied are based on science and will not discriminate EU imports vis-à-vis domestic production. The SPS chapter should notably provide the elements to facilitate authorisations to the long list of on-going SPS applications. It will help to remove SPS barriers applied by the Thai administration on many EU agri-food products, thus reducing lengthy and burdensome SPS approval procedures. 

Raising the visibility and profile of EU agri-food products by highlighting their key merits  of quality, authenticity, sustainability and safety will be one of the objectives of an EU agri-food business delegation to Thailand, which will take place in Bangkok on 25-29 May 2026, in conjunction with the EU pavilion at THAIFEX - Anuga Asia fair (26-30 May 2026). The EU agri-food business delegation to Thailand is organised by the European Commission – DG for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI).