EU countries are ready to start
negotiations with the European Parliament on clamping down on
unfair cross-border trading practices in the agri-food supply
chain.
The representatives of the 27 Member States, gathered in the
Special Committee on Agriculture, have approved a negotiating
mandate on one of the two proposals put forward by the European
Commission last December to protect the sector from the pressure
of large-scale retailers and ensure fair profit margins for
small farms.
The European Commission's proposal stems from the observation
that around 20% of agri-food products consumed in an EU country
come from another Member State.
For this reason, the EU aims to strengthen cooperation between
national authorities, improving information sharing, the conduct
of investigations, and the effectiveness of the enforcement of
penalties.
In the approved mandate, national governments also call for the
rules to be extended to cover non-EU buyers and propose the
introduction of clear provisions regarding the coverage of costs
incurred in cases of mutual assistance between national
authorities. The conditions under which a State may refuse a
cooperation request from another Member State are also
specified.
With the adoption of the mandate, the EU Council is now ready to
enter into negotiations, while the European Parliament has yet
to define its negotiating position.
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