According to the International Trade Center (ITC) in 2016 the agricultural import of EU-28 amounted to USD 521 billion. Germany is the main consumer of agricultural products with its share of 17.1% in terms of the total EU agricultural import or USD 89.2 billion. The leading consumers of agricultural products in Europe also include the UK (with its share of 11.7%), France - 11% and the Netherlands 10.6%. In total, these four countries are purchasing 50.4% of the whole agricultural products imported by the EU constituting USD 263.1 billion.

However, the agricultural import of the EU countries should be divided into two categories: domestic import (from EU countries) and foreign import (from the countries which are not members of the EU). Hence, in 2016 69% of the EU general agricultural import or approximately USD 360 billion accounted for domestic import and only 31% or USD 162 billion accounted for foreign import.

Considering import of the EU member states, it should be noted that the country with the largest share of domestic import is Hungary, 92% or USD 4.8 billion of agricultural import of which accounts for domestic import within the EU. Also, the top domestic importers include Latvia (domestic import constitutes 88% or USD 1.8 billion), Luxembourg (87% - USD 2.1 billion) and Austria (86% - USD 11.5 billion) and Czech Republic (85% - USD 7.8 billion). Among the products to be procured in the EU cheese, breadstuffs, chocolates, pork and wine are the most popular. Collectively these products constitute about 18% of domestic imports of the EU.

At the same time, the Netherlands purchase agricultural products from the ‘external’ countries most of all. Share of the foreign agricultural export is 52% or USD 28.4 billion. 45% of foreign purchases are also made by Spain (USD 16.5 billion) and 40% or USD 6.6 billion are made by Sweden. The terms of commodity items the European countries buy mostly from the non-EU countries coffee, fish (frozen or chilled), soybean meal and soybeans. In total, these products amount to 22.5% of the foreign agricultural import of EU states.