Browse Data and Analysis

This report assesses the agricultural biotechnology sector in Belgium for plants, animals, and microorganisms. Belgium's stance on agricultural biotechnology differs between the regions of Wallonia and Flanders, with the latter being more receptive.

The European Commission requested a scientific opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on microorganisms produced by new developments in biotechnology.

This report should be read in conjunction with the EU-27 Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) report written by the U.S. Mission to the EU. This report focuses on the import regulations and standards that are not harmonized at the EU-level or where Belgium varies.

Belgium is a Member State of the European Union (EU) and applies the certification requirements described in the European Union Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) Certification Report. Products not yet harmonized are subject to Belgian national rules.

Public support for agricultural biotechnology in Belgium is roughly divided between the Wallonia and Flemish regions with the latter more receptive. The Flemish region is home to the country's ag biotech cluster where much of the research on biotechnology and experimental field trials take place.

On September 21, 2022, Kuwait’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry issued administrative decree number 1895 for the year 2022 adopting a regionalization model to the county level for U.S. outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian influenza (HPAI). The decree lifted a previous ban on all non-heat treated poultry meat (fresh, chilled, frozen, and processed), poultry products and table eggs from 24 U.S. states. The decree also includes changes for other trade partners. An unofficial translation for the decree is included in this report.

This report gives an overview of the foodservice – hotel, restaurant, and institutional (HRI) sector in Slovakia and outlines current market trends, including best product prospects. As in other countries, Slovakia’s foodservice sector was one of the hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Belgium is a Member State of the European Union (EU) and applies the certification requirements described in the European Union Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) Certification Report. Products not yet harmonized are subject to Belgian national rules.

This report should be read in conjunction with the EU-27 Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) report written by the U.S. Mission to the EU. This report focuses on the import regulations and standards that are not harmonized at the EU-level or where Belgium varies.

Public support for agricultural biotechnology in Belgium is roughly divided between the Wallonia and Flemish regions with the latter more receptive.

The food retail sector in Slovakia is consolidated, price sensitive, and competitive. The Slovak market is experiencing a boom in internet shopping for all food categories.

Overall U.S. agricultural and related product exports to the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait (GCC-4) are higher by 3 percent from January to March 2021 compared to the same time last year.