About the Office of Agricultural Affairs
The Office of Agricultural Affairs at the U.S. Mission to the European Union is composed of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)
and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), both agencies of the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA).
Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)
FAS/USEU represents the interests of U.S. farmers and the U.S. food and agricultural sector in the European Union. Our main mission is to improve market access for U.S. products and to promote U.S. agricultural exports to the EU. With a staff of 4 American officers and 7 local staff members, we participate in U.S. agricultural trade formulation with the purpose of opening, maintaining and increasing EU markets for U.S. food and agricultural products. This includes negotiations to reduce and eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade such as, unscientific or unsubstantiated sanitary and phytosanitary regulations.
Our office is also the focal point for information gathering, dissemination, and analysis of EU legislative and regulatory actions’ possible effects on U.S. agricultural exports.
We provide specialized research and analysis related to:
- EU LEGISLATION: We monitor EU legislation from the discussion phase through implementation and assess the possible effects of EU policies on U.S. agriculture.
- EU COMPLIANCE: We monitor and report on EU compliance with WTO rules and the EU’s bilateral trade agreements with the U.S.
- EU TRADE: We analyze and disseminate information on EU trade with third countries where U.S. agricultural products often compete with EU products. We work to resolve market access issues at EU border posts.
- U.S. PROGRAMS: We represent U.S. agriculture in the EU and explain U.S. agriculture programs and legislation to EU audiences.
Animal and plant health inspection service (APHIS)
The APHIS office in Brussels carries out the following activities:
- Represents the U.S. in sanitary and phytosanitary standard-setting organizations
- Serves as technical experts on matters of plant and animal health
- Promotes the health of plant and animal resources as well as facilitating their movement in the global marketplace
- Resolves trade impediments related to sanitary issues
Contact information
Phone:
Fax:
Email:
FAS offices:
32-2-811-5793
32-2-811-5560
AgUSEUBrussels@usda.gov
https://www.fas.usda.gov/international-offices
