MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
22.10.2007
pursuant to Rule 108(5) of the Rules of Procedure
by Luis Manuel Capoulas Santos, Bernadette Bourzai, María Isabel Salinas García, Katerina Batzeli and Rosa Miguélez Ramos
on behalf of the PSE Group
on the rise in prices and consumer protection
B6‑0401/2007
European Parliament resolution on the rise in prices and consumer protection
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the FAO’s latest quarterly ‘Crop Prospects and Food Situation’ report, and its statement on World Food Day on 16 October 2007,
– having regard to the conclusions of the OECD report on biofuels presented at the Round Table on Sustainable Development in Paris on 11 and 12 September 2007,
– having regard to Rule 108(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the latest wave of consumer price increases is linked, inter alia, to the rise in the cost of raw materials, the increase in world consumption (in particular in China and India), the poor harvest owing to unfavourable weather conditions and the decline in stocks and speculation,
B. whereas in the majority of EU Member States, there is no proof as yet of a direct and long-term link between the rise in price of certain products and biofuel demand but the case of the United States should be borne in mind, where the ambitious promotion of corn production for biofuels is, at present, having a direct impact on the rising food prices, as acknowledged by the OECD,
C. whereas the common agricultural policy (CAP) is currently an important element of balance in the food supply chain and its main aims include guaranteeing food security, agricultural income, high-quality production and environmental protection,
D. whereas the recent changes to the CAP have considerably weakened the intervention mechanisms for situations of this kind,
E. whereas large retail chains and a small number of supermarkets in the EU play a role in consumer price fixing and this demand is so concentrated that it has become a dominant force in negotiations with producers,
F. whereas information gathered throughout the whole Union by various organisations and associations seems to indicate, more specifically, that large supermarkets are misusing their economic power in order to force producers and suppliers (both within the Union and outside it) to lower their prices to unsustainable levels and to accept unfair conditions,
G. whereas we cannot, however, think only of the consequences of the price crisis in the EU but must also consider the implications of the rise in world agricultural raw material prices for the poorest countries and, in particular, for net importer countries,
1. Welcomes, and congratulates the Commission on, the recent decision to lift the set-aside rule as an urgent palliative measure in response to the significant rise in cereal prices;
2. Urges the Commission to introduce more measures for other affected sectors, such as dairy sector, in order to address the aforementioned price rises;
3. Asks the Commission and Member States to take note of the effects of the recent price crisis on the finances of European families in order to measure its real impact on the public's purchasing power, and, if need be, to bear this in mind when taking specific measures;
4. Calls on the Commission to encourage in-depth consideration of the future role of the CAP in general but also of the lessons learnt from the current crisis with regard to raw materials and food prices;
5. Believes, in this regard, that the ‘health check’ is also an ideal opportunity to review the CAP’s contribution to balancing the food supply chain, as, aside from the recent price increases, it is clear that, at present, the gap between producer prices and consumer prices is growing; also calls on the Commission to include these considerations in the next debate on the health check;
6. Notes that the Commission should take action to ensure greater transparency in trade; also calls for the launching of investigations (and infringement proceedings at the European Court of Justice, if necessary) into the consequences of the concentration of Europe’s large-scale retail sector for small producers, small enterprises, workers and consumers and, in particular, to assess any abuses with regard to purchasing power that could result from this concentration;
7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission.