Brussels, 05/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - Around 80 % of the initiatives contained in the Roadmap of the High-Level Forum for a Better Functioning Food Supply Chain have been satisfactorily implemented since 2010. The Commission is still assessing possible options for tackling unfair trading practices in the food chain.
In a report submitted on 5 December, this high level group, which brings together stakeholders in the food production, processing and distribution sectors around commissioners: Antonio Tajani (Industry and Entrepreneurship), Michel Barnier (Internal Market), Tonio Borg (Health) and Dacian Cioloº (Agriculture), considers that it has made progress in 80% of its work. The group's mandate expires at the end of December.
Following an approach based on inter-enterprise practices, competitiveness in the agri-food industry and foodstuff price monitoring, the Forum carried out 12 of the 32 initiatives proposed in 2010, including the EU's legislative acts such as the Directive on industrial emissions; adoption of revised rules of origin and implementation of all aspects of the Small Business Act (SBA) review; autonomous initiatives (European Committee on Social Dialogue, roundtable on consumption and production of sustainable foodstuffs), regular exchanges of information and good practices and the identification of the main areas to trade facing European exporters of food products. The Forum indicated that for 14 initiatives there have been major advances. This includes legislative acts (e.g. the review of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive, food information to consumers); significant progress made in several member states (e.g. on the development of food prices observatories). For the remaining six initiatives “significant progress” is still needed. In most cases, work is on-going but further actions still need to be taken either by EU institutions (e.g. on novel foods) or by national authorities and private stakeholders (e.g. on national organisations to report on geographical indication counterfeiting).
The Commission welcomes the progress made by the Forum but “regrets that no agreement has yet been reached on business-to-business unfair trading practices”. It is promising to examine all available options, including legislative options, to resolve this question by the autumn of 2013. (EH/transl.fl)