The European Union issued a license to export 415000 tons of wheat this week.

Paris, Nov. 12 (Xinhua)-- the European Union issued 415000 tons of wheat export permits this week, bringing the total wheat export permits issued so far in 2009 to 6.6 million tons, according to official figures released on Thursday.

According to data released by the European Union in the same period last year, the total amount of wheat export permits issued at that time was 9 million tons.

Of the licenses issued this week, more than 224000 tons of wheat export licenses were applied by France, nearly 55000 tons of wheat export licenses were applied by the Netherlands, nearly 46000 tons were applied by Germany, and nearly 40000 tons were applied by Lithuania.

Overall, the EU has issued 8.1 million tons of grain export permits so far this year, compared with 13.5 million tons in the same period last year.

So far this year, the total amount of grain import permits issued by the EU is 3.9 million tons, compared with 5.3 million tons in the same period last year.