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Agriculture and rural development
News article17 September 2020Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development

European Commission takes stock of relations within food supply chain

Ahead of the implementation at national level of the Directive on unfair trading practices (UTPs) in business-to-business relationships in the agricultural and food supply chain, the Commission is seeking feedback from operators on their experiences as suppliers in the agri-food supply chain.

This baseline survey aims at capturing the state of play before these new national measures are implemented. It will be followed by annual surveys that will enable the Commission to assess the effectiveness of measures taken by Member States in relation to the Directive.

It targets suppliers, including farmers and small enterprises, who are active in the production, trading, processing or wholesale stages of the agri-food supply chain and will be open until 31 January 2021.

Background

The Commission has been working towards a fairer and more balanced food supply chain. In 2016, the Commission set up the Agricultural Markets Task Force (AMTF) to assess the role of farmers in the wider food supply chain and make recommendations on how it can be strengthened.

On the basis of these recommendations, the Commission presented in 2018 its proposal to ban unfair trading practices in the food supply chain, which was voted by co-legislators in March 2019. These new rules will ensure the protection of 100% of European farmers as well as small and mid-range suppliers against unfair trading practices in the food supply chain.

More information

Questionnaire to suppliers in the agricultural and food supply chain on unfair trading practices (UTPs)

Unfair trading practices in the food chain

Agri-food supply chain

Details

Publication date
17 September 2020
Author
Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development