Verbatim report of proceedings

Tuesday, 7 June 2016 - Strasbourg

Unfair trading practices in the food supply chain (A8-0173/2016 - Edward Czesak)

  Catherine Stihler (S&D), in writing. ‒ I supported this report as my Labour colleagues and I want to put an end to unfair commercial practices against small and medium-sized producers and farmers when they engage in commercial relations in a highly concentrated market. Voluntary schemes, such as the Supply Chain Initiative, fail to deliver on that front. It is time for the EU to develop regulatory measures at European level to tackle UTPs and to ensure better enforcement mechanisms are in place at Member State level. Further delay means that UTPs continue to distort the single market, consumers are adversely affected, competent suppliers close and unnecessary food waste is created, whilst workers and farmers suffer. Lack of action to stop UTPs also undermines the European Growth and Jobs agenda.