Brussels, 02/02/2010 (Agence Europe) - At the Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA) meeting on Monday 1 February, most of the delegations gave their backing to the Spanish Presidency document setting out the main priorities for improving the operation of the food supply chain. The Presidency hopes to get the Council of EU agriculture ministers to adopt conclusions on this issue at their meeting on 28 March.
Italy once again highlighted what it sees as the need for compulsory origin labelling of all food products. Poland, with the backing of other delegations, stressed the need to take action to tackle the problem of delays in payment from which farmers suffer. Some delegations, including France, Cyprus and Bulgaria, suggested measures to enhance the position of professional organisations and to promote joint-trade organisations. This would require amendment of common organisation of the single market rules, with, some countries argue, what happens in the fruit and vegetable and wine sectors providing the model. Germany broadly felt that it would be better to improve implementation of existing rules before setting up any new rules.
The Presidency document provides for action in several areas: - improving the structure, resilience and sustainable integration of the food chain, for example, through European standard contracts; - increasing transparency; - reducing unfair trading practices; - encouraging self-regulating initiatives, such as a code of good commercial practice; - striking a balance between the common agricultural policy (CAP) and EU competition policy.
Discussion in the SCA revealed slight differences in approach, in particular on self-regulation initiatives and standard contracts. Some countries, such as Romania and Cyprus, asked that these kinds of measures be compulsory, whereas others (Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands) wanted them to be voluntary.
Several delegations backed the aim of improving and consolidating the agri-food sector, and there was wide support for improving transparency. Some delegations spoke in favour of the Commission initiative of a European Prices Monitoring Tool. (L.C./transl.rt)