Brussels, 12/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - French Socialist MEP Harlem Desir and Hungarian Socialist MEP Gyula Hegyi have tabled a motion calling on the European Commission to launch an investigation into the abuse of power by big supermarkets. 'Throughout the EU, retailing is increasingly dominated by a small number of supermarket chains such as Wal-Mart, Carrefour and Tesco. These retailers control the access farmers and other suppliers have to EU shoppers, explained Harlem Desir in a press release published on Friday 12 October.
To have the power of an EP resolution (and therefore require the Commission to automatically carry out the investigation), the signatures of more than half of the 785 MEPs will have to be collected. Desir and Hegyi want the Commission to propose 'appropriate measures, including regulation if necessary, to protect consumers, workers and producers from any abuse of the supermarkets' dominant position, and from any other negative impacts revealed in the course of their investigation.' Desir explained that some EU member states 'have introduced national legislation attempting to limit such abuse, yet large supermarkets increasingly operate across national boundaries, making harmonised EU legislation desirable.'
Evidence from across the EU suggests that big supermarkets are 'abusing their buying power to force down prices for suppliers to unsustainable levels and to impose unfair conditions,' explained the Socialist group at the EP. 'These squeezes on suppliers have negative knock-on effects on both quality of employment and environmental protection. Consumers potentially face a loss in diversity of what they buy, and a smaller choice of shops,' added Harlem Desir. (lc)