The President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen has announced that the commission is boosting its promotion budget to launch a new 'Buy European food' campaign.

Speaking at the EU State of the Union address this morning (September 10), President von der Leyen said that European food is "the best in the world".

She said: "In Europe, we have access to high-quality food that our outstanding farmers and fishers produce at affordable prices. They are also the custodians of our lands and oceans, our biodiversity. The key to our food security.

"But they are facing headwinds – from high input costs to red tape or unfair competition. We are acting on all those fronts.

According to the EU Commission president, it is "essential" that farmers receive fair competition, and a level playing field.

She claimed that this is why the commission has put "robust safeguards" in the Mercosur trade deal, that is backed up by funding, should compensation be needed.

"We also need to strengthen the position of farmers in the food chain. For too long their hard work has not paid off as it should," President von der Leyen said.

"Farmers have a right to a fair price for their food - and a fair profit for their families. We will review the implementation on our unfair trading practices legislation, and take action wherever it is needed," she added.

During her address, President von der Leyen also described the trade deal that the EU agreed with the US as "the best possible deal out there".

She believes that the deal puts EU companies at a "relative advantage", as some of the EU's direct competitors face "much higher" US tariffs.

President von der Leyen said: "I want to be crystal clear on one point, whether on environmental or digital regulation, we set our own standards, we set our own regulations. Europe will always decide for itself.

"I do not believe in tariffs - tariffs are taxes. But the deal provides crucial stability in our relations with the US at a time of grave global insecurity," she added.