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In Spain, wine is an important part of the economy, society, landscape, culture and gastronomy. Spain boasts the world’s largest vine area and is the third largest wine producer in the European Union (EU), after France and Italy.

On September 19, 2024, the Government of Egypt filed an eighth addendum to the World Trade Organization's (WTO’s) Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) -- G/TBT/N/EGY/313/Add.8 -- informing interested parties that the time period during which imported milk and dairy products that are not accompanied by a Halal certificate will be permitted to enter Egypt has been extended until December 31, 2025.

The Spanish retail sector is experiencing a 2024 with good prospects despite still facing elements of uncertainty. Consumers, having emerged from the latest inflationary crisis, have become more rational in their purchasing decisions, and are prioritizing price to control expenditure.

Against the backdrop of a series of global shocks, regional conflict, and the war in Ukraine, the Egyptian economy slowed down in 2024 and is projected to recover gradually in the coming years.

In late May 2024, the Egyptian Government announced its intention to increase the price of subsidized bread (from 5 piasters {$.001} per loaf to 20 piasters {$.004} per loaf) as of June 1, 2024 -- marking the first increase in the price of subsidized bread in Egypt in 36 years.

In 2023, Spain imported $2.2 billion worth of agricultural, seafood and forest products from the United States, up 3 percent compared to the previous year. Even though inflation rates declined in 2023 as compared to the record highs registered in 2022, they remained higher compared to pre-pandemic levels.

On August 8, 2023, the Government of Egypt filed a sixth addendum to the World Trade Organization's (WTO’s) Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) -- G/TBT/N/EGY/313/Add.6 -- extending the requirement for halal certification for imported milk and dairy products until December 31, 2023.

In 2022, Spain imported $1.98 billion worth of agricultural, seafood and forest products from the United States, up 28 percent compared to the previous year. The latest European Union (EU) economic forecast predicts that Spain's growth forecast will be 1.9 percent in 2023, above the EU average.

On June 16, 2023, Egypt notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of a new halal requirement and procedure for food products via a Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) addendum notification.

The 2022 U.S. Agricultural Export Yearbook provides a statistical summary of U.S. agricultural commodity exports to the world during the 2022 calendar year.

The government of Egypt has yet to publish or notify an official statement regarding the application of halal certification on dairy past the April 1 deadline. However, the industry reports that another extension from fees has been granted for as much as a year.

In 2022, Spain imported $2.1 billion worth of agricultural, seafood and forest products from the United States, up 27 percent compared to the previous year. After high rates of consumer price inflation in 2022, the latest European Union economic forecast shows Spain’s economic growth forecast at 1.4 percent in 2023 and 2.0 percent in 2024.