The work of the High Level Group (HLG) on the competitiveness of the EU agri-food industry established by Commission Vice-President Verheugen in June 2008, has lead to the adoption in 2009 of a Report, a list of 30 Recommendations and a Roadmap (set of accompanying actions), all of which aim at boosting the performance of the food and drink sector and achieving predictable and stable framework conditions for years to come.

In the 2009 Facts and Figures Competitiveness Report, we concentrate on food and drink specific competitiveness indicators (production value, productivity, value-added, share in world markets, etc.), place particular emphasis on the business environment, which is largely influenced by EU policy and legislation, and concentrate on the place of the food and drink industry in the food chain.

The EU food and drink industry, the largest manufacturing sector in Europe, has the ability and the potential to maintain its position on the global market.

Nevertheless, urgent action is needed from legislators to create a favourable business environment for European food and drink manufacturers, enabling them to grasp the competitive challenges they are facing and to transform these challenges into new opportunities. To do so, the EU food and drink industry relies on the swift and timely implementation of the recommendations of the HLG.