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E. coli's economic impact on Europe, by the numbers

The European Union is planning to offer €150 million ($220 million) in aid to European farmers who have suffered huge financial losses because of last week’s E. coli outbreak. Is that enough to make up for their losses?

4. Belgium

  • By Ariel Zirulnick Staff writer

Belgium has lost approximately €4 million since the outbreak. Although no cases of E. coli have been reported in the country, the country’s food safety agency is planning to test all the country’s fresh produce as a precaution, Flanders News reports. “Our farmers didn’t make a single mistake. I’m counting on European solidarity,” said Belgian farm minister Sabine Laruelle on Tuesday, prior to the EU meeting.

Agriculture makes up less than 1 percent of the country’s GDP.

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