Opening address by Commissioner Hansen at the EU–Thailand Agri-Food Business Forum during the High-Level Agri-food business Mission to Thailand

Opening address Commissioner Hansen EU–Thailand Agri-Food Business Forum

Distinguished Ministers,

Excellencies,

Business leaders, Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure to welcome you today to the EU–Thailand Agri-Food Business Forum here in Bangkok.

Allow me first to warmly thank our Thai partners for their hospitality and excellent cooperation in preparing this mission.

I would especially like to thank the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the Ministry of Commerce, and all public and private stakeholders joining us today.

It is particularly encouraging to see so many European and Thai companies gathered here.

Because this Forum is not simply about trade.

It is about bringing people, businesses and expertise together.

And bringing two great agricultural and food cultures closer together.

For decades, our economies have grown closer through trade, investment and cultural exchange.

And agriculture has always been at the centre of this relationship.

Because both Europe and Thailand are major agri-food powers.

Thailand has established itself as one of the world's leading food exporters and one of Asia's most dynamic agri-food economies.

Europe, for its part, is the world's leading exporter of food and drink products.

The EU agri-food system supports around 30 million jobs and generates around €900 billion in added value.

But what truly connects Europe and Thailand goes beyond economics.

In both Europe and Thailand, agriculture is more than an economic sector.

It has shaped our landscapes, our communities and our food cultures. This is why food creates such a natural bridge between us.

Thailand's extraordinary food culture, admired across the world, reflects centuries of agricultural knowledge, craftsmanship and tradition.

This is why food creates such a natural bridge between Europe and Thailand.

Because food is never only about consumption.

Food carries identity, culture and trust.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We meet at a moment when global trade and food systems are under pressure.

Supply chains are being tested, climate events are affecting production, and food security has once again become a strategic issue.

Trade deals have become more strategic than ever

This is why the European Union attaches such importance to its relationship with Thailand.

Thailand is one of Europe's natural and key partners in Southeast Asia.

And European Union one of Thailand's largest trade and investment partners.

In 2025, bilateral trade in goods between the European Union and Thailand reached more than €44 billion.

And there remains enormous untapped potential in agri-food cooperation.

This mission reflects precisely this ambition.

I am proud to be accompanied by nearly 100 European agri-food companies and organisations.

Their presence here sends a strong signal.

European companies see Thailand as a gateway to ASEAN, and as a partner with whom they can build long-term opportunities.

And Europe wants to build long-term economic partnerships across this region.

Our participation at THAIFEX as “Region of Honour” reflects this same ambition.

This Business Forum is where our political ambition becomes practical.

It is where companies meet, partnerships start, and opportunities become concrete.

Agreements matter, but they only deliver when businesses use them, when producers trust them, and when consumers see their value.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In today's world, competitiveness can no longer be built only on price.

Long-term competitiveness must be built on: quality, innovation, sustainability, resilience, and trust.

This is a model we both share.

And increasingly, this is where global demand is moving.

Consumers across the world increasingly want products they can trust.

Products that are sustainable. Products that are authentic.

Products with identity and origin.

This is why Europe continues to invest strongly in: Geographical Indications, organic farming, sustainable agriculture, innovation, digitalisation, and climate resilience.

Because sustainability is not a constraint on competitiveness.

At the same time, Thailand's evolving consumer market and growing middle class create important opportunities for high-quality and premium agri-food products.

This creates strong complementarities between our economies.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The future of agriculture will be shaped by those who can create value, innovate, secure reliable supply chains and respond quickly to market demand.

No country can do this alone. Recent disruptions have shown how important it is to work with trusted partners who can offer reliability, quality and long-term commitment.

For the European Union, Thailand is such a partner. We want a cooperation that goes beyond transactions: one that supports investment, opens new market opportunities, strengthens agri-food value chains and brings our companies closer together.

That is the purpose of today's Forum: to turn a strong political relationship into concrete partnerships between businesses, producers and markets.

Europe and Thailand already share strong foundations.

Now is the time to elevate this relationship further.

To transform economic cooperation into a truly strategic partnership for the future.

Thank you very much.

Khob khun krub