The fresh produce industry is facing a challenging period of rapid changes, forcing fresh produce operators to continuously search for new answers … and that is where Freshfel Europe steps in. Freshfel's membership incorporates both companies and national associations of importers, exporters, distributors, wholesalers, retailers and their service providers. This broadly conceived structure allows members to share views and jointly address issues of concern to the fresh produce trade.

Freshfel Europe represents and defends the interests of its members towards the various European institutions with a view to facilitating fresh produce trade, both inside and outside the European Union.

Among the topics discussed within Freshfel Europe's various divisions are : food safety, traceability, certification, market access barriers in third countries, trade facilitation, fresh produce wholesale markets, EU bilateral trade negotiations, WTO negotiations, reform of the Common Market Organisation for fruit and vegetables, EU export policies, phytosanitary and pesticide legislation, EU enlargement, promotion, … . On these topics (and many more), Freshfel Europe regularly prepares position papers to communicate the views of the European fresh produce industry.

Because of its wide membership, Freshfel is the ideal platform for the discussion of a wide range of issues affecting all segments of the industry.

Freshfel Europe cooperates with a range of organisations and institutions that are somehow involved in the fruit and vegetable business. On a non-exhaustive basis, these include :

  • IFPC (the International Federation for Produce Coding)
  • CELCAA (Comité Européen de Liaison des Commerces Agro-Alimentaires)
  • PMA (Produce Marketing Association, US)
  • CPMA (Canadian Produce Marketing Association)
  • Eurofruit Magazine
  • EAN (European Article Numbering)
  • WAPA (the World Apple and Pear Association)
  • ECBTA (European Community Banana Trading Association)
  • SHAFFE (Southern Hemisphere Association of Fresh Fruit Exporters)
  • Centre for Food Chain Research - Imperial College (UK)
  • COPA-COGECA
  • CLAM (Comité de Liaison pour l'Agrumiculture Méditerranéenne)
  • WUWM (World Union of Wholesale Markets)
  • The European Commission and other EU institutions
  • FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations)
  • UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe)
  • Representations of third countries, …