The best before date is used in Europe to indicate the date until the food retains its expected quality. The food is safe to consume after the indicated best before day.  The best before date is used to give guidance on the date in which it retains its specific properties such as aroma, flavor or texture and has no indication in regards to food safety.  (There is much debate in the EU currently to help clarify these dates and labels, as it has been found that good food is being thrown out prematurely.)
The use by date on a product indicates the date until when the food can be eaten safely. (Equivalent to an American expiration date)  The use by date can be found on highly perishable (from a microbiological point of view) foods such as milk, yogurt, meat, unpasteurized fruit juices, etc.
When reading an European date, please note that it is written in DD/MM/YEAR. For example, 04/09/2022 is September 4, 2022.