Activities of Paul BRANNEN related to 2015/2065(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on unfair trading practices in the food supply chain
Amendments (25)
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recognises that CAP reform introduced a number of measures aimed at addressing the bargaining power gap between farmers and other stakeholders in the food supply chain at a time when the number of farmers has fallen significantly, the food chain is lengthening and distribution is highly concentrated, i.e. in superstores waging out-and-out trade wars against each other;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Recognises that unfair trading practices (UTPs) result primarily from income and power imbalances in the food supply chain and that these imbalances must be urgently addressed in order to ameliorate the situation for farmers;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas UTPs occur where there is a lack of economic balance in trading relations between partners in the food supply chain, resulting from bargaining power and income disparities in business relations and constituting a serious disturbance to market balance;
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Notes the serious misuse of basic agricultural foods as "loss leaders" by large scale retailers and the risks posed by this activity to primary food producers and the threat to the long term sustainability of European production of such items;
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Reminds the Commission that the European Parliament's own initiative report adopted in December 2013 called on the Commission to examine the need and possibility of independent enforcement to address the so-called 'fear factor' among primary producers in the supply chain; urges the Commission to consider this in its own report;
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Calls on the relevant stakeholders to facilitate incorporation of farmers' organisations, including producers' organisations and their associations, within the scope of national enforcement bodies governing the food supply chain, primarily by securing anonymity of complaints and effective sanctions regime;
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Doubts whetherConsiders that voluntary initiatives are adequate forhelpful but cannot comprehensively addressing UTPs and the acknowledged ‘fear factor’ in the supply chain arising from the imbalance of power between farmoperators in the food supply chain including farmers, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers;
Amendment 58 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Doubts whether voluntary initiatives are adequate for addressing UTPs and the acknowledged ‘fear factor’ in the supply chain arising from the imbalance of power between farmers and retailers, which are increasingly represented by superstore chains with central purchasing bodies;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Doubts whether voluntary initiatives such as the drawing up of a Green Paper on unfair trading practices in the business-to-business food and non-food supply chain in Europe are adequate for addressing UTPs and the acknowledged ‘fear factor’ in the supply chain arising from the imbalance of power between farmers and retailers;
Amendment 104 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Believes that European competition law should be applied in a more balanced fashion to the various actors in the food supply chain, that the policy should take account of the specific features of agriculture and that it should be applied in a more harmonised manner in all Member States;
Amendment 108 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls on the Commission to assess the SCI in terms of effectiveness, taking into account concerns cited by the farming community; cautions the Commission to avoid assessing the voluntary initiative based solely on the number of registered participants;
Amendment 113 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that several Member States have initiated actions in national law to address the concerns of primary producers regarding the negative impact of UTPs; asks the Commission to assess these national efforts with a view to selecting best practices for application at EU level in order to bring equity into the food supply chain, particularly for farmers, primary producers but also for consumers; notes in particular the Groceries Code Adjudicator in the UK as a potential model for adaptation in a strengthened form with enforcement powers at EU level;
Amendment 114 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that several Member States have initiated actions in national law to address the concerns of primary producers regarding the negative impact of UTPs; asks the Commission to assess these national efforts with a view to selecting best practices for application at EU level; notes in particular the Groceries Code Adjudicator in the UK or the Food Supply Chain Commissioner in France as a potential model for adaptation at EU level;
Amendment 130 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that several Member States have initiated actions in national lawvoluntary codes and legislative measures to address the concerns of primary producers regarding the negative impact of UTPs; asks the Commission to assess these national efforts with a view to selecting best practices for application at EU level; notes in particular the Groceries Code Adjudicator in the UK as aone potential model for adaptation at EU level;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Notes the serious misuse of basic foods as "loss leaders" by large scale retailers and the risks posed by this activity to primary food producers and the threat to the long term sustainability of European production of such items;
Amendment 147 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Believes that framework legislation at EU level is essential to tackle UTPs and to address their negative consequences for farmers and weaker businesses in the supply chain wherever they are located; urges the Commission to consider this when assessing the SCI;
Amendment 148 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Believes that framework legislation at EU level is essential to tackle UTPs and to address their negative consequences for farmers; urges the Commission to consider this when assessing the SCI; points out that that European legislation must not lower the level of protection in countries which have already adopted national legislation to combat business-to-business UTPs;
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Believes that the Supply Chain Initiative and other national and EU voluntary systems (codes of good practice, voluntary dispute settlement mechanisms) should be further developed and promoted; encourages producers and traders, particularly by securing full anonymity of complaints and robust sanctions regime; encourages producers and traders, including farmers' organisations, to become involved in such initiatives; takes the view that they should play a leading role in efforts to combat UTPs;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Stresses that action to combat UTPs will help to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market and, to develop cross- border trading within the EU and with third countries and to bring equity into the food supply chain, particularly for farmers and primary producers but also for consumers;
Amendment 178 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Is convinced that consumer awareness about agricultural products is fundamental to address the problems resulting from imbalances in the food supply chain, including UTPs; calls on all stakeholders involved in food supply chain management to step up transparency in the overall food supply chain, increase consumer information by more adequate product labelling and certification schemes in order to enable consumers to make fully informed choices about available products and to act accordingly;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Notes that short food supply chains have generally lower risk of UTPs' occurrence and are better for the environment; demands comprehensive action from the Commission to promote and facilitate short, local and sustainable food supply chains;
Amendment 185 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Notes that the Member States could considerably reduce market abuse by creating a legislative framework to ensure that the retailing of agricultural products (e.g. raw milk) at less than cost is prohibited except in a few exceptional cases;
Amendment 189 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Notes that short food supply chains will be easier to enforce UTPs from adversely affecting farmers and are better for the environment; demands comprehensive action from the Commission to promote and facilitate short, local and sustainable food supply chains;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Reaffirms that free and fair competition, freedom to contract and properstrong and effective enforcement of the relevant legislation to protect all enterprises in the food supply chain, irrespective of geographical location, are of key importance in ensuring the proper functioning of the food supply chain;
Amendment 269 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Is convinced that consumer awareness is fundamental to address the problems resulting from imbalances in the food supply chain, including UTPs; calls on all stakeholders involved in food supply chain management to step up transparency in the overall food supply chain, increase consumer information by more adequate product labelling and certification schemes in order to enable consumers to make fully informed choices about available products and to act accordingly;