Activities of Katerina BATZELI related to 2008/2175(INI)
Plenary speeches (2)
Food prices in Europe (A6-0094/2009, Katerina Batzeli) (vote)
Food prices in Europe (short presentation)
Reports (1)
REPORT Report on the Food prices in Europe PDF (196 KB) DOC (111 KB)
Amendments (29)
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)
Citation 7 a (new)
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas evidence from across the EU suggests big supermarkets abuse their buying power to force down prices paid to suppliers to unsustainable levels and impose unfair conditions upon them; whereas large retailers across Europe are fast-becoming ‘gatekeepers’, controlling farmers’ and other suppliers’ access to EU consumers,
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas, although the funding of the CAP has contributed over the years to securing low consumer prices, it is noticeable that consumer prices remain high or are not decreasing despite the fall in prices in the agricultural sector;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. considers that a broad series of factors influence the price transmission mechanism and the gap between producer and consumer prices; names among these factors the marketing behaviour of operators along the supply chain, including manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, the share of non-agricultural costs (such as energy and labour), legislative and regulatory frameworks, the perishable nature of the product, the degree of product processing, marketing and handling or consumer purchasing preferences;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Agrees with the Commission that trends in supply and demand and operational shortcomings in the food supply chain have played a significant role in increasing food prices; stresses, however, that a significant role has also been played by speculation on the financial markets, which created distortions in the price formation mechanism;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Considers that, although the Commission's comparison between the EU and USA in terms of productivity is an appropriate one, it cannot constitute the absolute basis for the ideal measure of productivity in the food sector (particularly, agricultural production and processing) in the EU; stresses that the agriculture and food industry in the EU differs significantly from that in the USA both in terms of the commodities and sectors which it covers and the conditions and rules by which it is governed;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. draws attention to the fact that a large market power is particularly pays offlucrative in the agri-food sector, given the price inelasticity of agricultural supply on the one hand and consumer demand on the other;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Believes that pricing below cost, while not viable in itself for any enterprise, can only be applied by big (diversified) enterprises for a short period of time and only to drive their competitors out of the market; considers that, in the long term, such a practice benefits neither consumers nor the market as a whole;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. draws attention to the fact that many SMEs in the food sector are extremely vulnerable especially if they are largely dependent on one large retail soperatore; notes that retailerslarge operators in the food supply chain often employ race to the bottom price competitions between several suppliers and in order to stay in business small companies need to cut costs and margins, which translates into reduced payments to farmers, reduced market access and distribution channels for SME’s, fewer employees, and lower quality products for consumers;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. is worried by the increased level of speculation with food, as a tradable commodityobserved on the financial markets; calls on the Commission to launch an investigation into this matter; awaits the conclusions of the High Level Group on the Competitiveness of the Agri- Food Industry and encourages this panel to propose effective measures to address the imbalances in the market;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Maintains its reservations concerning the Commission's conclusions that speculation on the financial markets has not played a significant role in the process of price formation; considers that the Commission should take initiatives to strengthen monitoring of the futures markets in basic agricultural commodities;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 c (new)
Paragraph 15 c (new)
15c. Stresses that there is a more urgent need to consider new regulatory provisions for the futures markets compared with the Commission's estimation, as there are indications that speculation already creates problems in the pricing of basic foods and, therefore, for the markets and producer enterprises which are reliant thereon;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Is concerned at the fact that, in tackling the shortcomings in the operation of the food supply chain, the Commission: – places more emphasis on regulatory provisions which restrict the access of large enterprises to the retail trade instead of focusing on those stages of the chain where the problem of high food prices is principally created (profiteering in the trading of basic commodities, lack of competition, concentrations and unfair practices in the production and sale of food, etc.), – concentrates on rules and provisions designed to tackle problems and unfair practices at the various stages of the chain by the use of repressive measures instead of intervening through policies which promote and encourage the development of enterprises and competition;
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16b. Stresses that the absorption of the increases in world prices of basic agricultural commodities and energy and their incorporation into end consumer prices is primarily a question of the structure of the markets at various stages of the food supply chain; considers that the distortions in the structure of the markets are reflected in the greater bargaining power of some enterprises over others at the same or different stages of the chain; takes the view that lack of healthy competition and strong bargaining power are two sides of the same coin and that, therefore, if competition operated at all stages of the chain, the role of regulatory provisions and price monitoring would be of secondary importance;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 c (new)
Paragraph 16 c (new)
16c.Regrets the fact that, in seeking a solution to the lack of healthy competition at the earlier stages of the food supply chain, the Commission concentrates on the end market, i.e. the retail trade; considers that a possible factor tending to justify the Commission’s reasoning in this respect is that consumers come into direct contact with that part of the market and that the level of inflation is determined there; stresses, however, that this approach encourages the formation of concentrations in the retail trade which, in the long term, does not benefit consumers;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 d (new)
Paragraph 16 d (new)
16d. Disagrees with the rationale for encouraging the entry of major retailers and the Commission's positive attitude towards below cost pricing and the deregulation of opening hours; takes the view that both these measures may drive smaller retailers out of business, thereby ultimately reducing competition in the final market place, while leaving the problem of imperfect competition at previous stages of the chain untouched;
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 e (new)
Paragraph 16 e (new)
16e. Expresses its deep concern at the fact that the Commission, in its survey of the main practices which cause problems of competition in the food supply chain, not only does not include consolidation, it even goes so far as to attempt to cast doubt on the adverse impact of such practices on fair competition; stresses that the increase in the degree of market concentration as a result of the increase in the number of horizontal mergers is responsible, inter alia, for the trend towards agreements between undertakings, especially in the retail trade sector;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 f (new)
Paragraph 16 f (new)
16f. Notes that large-size enterprises generate clear and well-known economic benefits (economies of scale and scope), leading to lower costs and therefore lower prices; stresses, however, that a policy to improve the food supply chain should encourage the creation of operational schemes (clusters, networks, inter-branch organisations, etc.) to enable the agricultural sector to benefit from these advantages so as to put undertakings at subsequent stages in a position to withstand pressure on their profit margins;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 g (new)
Paragraph 16 g (new)
16g. Is deeply concerned that in the survey of the main practices which cause competition problems in the food supply chain, the Commission Communication fails to include the abuse of the dominant position observed at the retail stage and also, to a certain extent, at the wholesale stage; considers that anti-competitive practices employed by undertakings with a large market share, such as exclusivity agreements, a product tying obligation, etc. constitute a serious blow to fair competition in the food supply chain;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Proposes that national competition authorities, which have a broad role under Community legislation with regards to monitoring production, trade and competitionthe operation of competition at all stages of the food supply chart, strengthen their cooperation under the coordination of the Commission, through the open method of coordination, on monitoring production costs and trade, in order to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Takes the view that, since the retail trade is influenced mainly by national legal, economic, political and cultural characteristics, it would be useful within the framework of the European Competition Network (ECN) to conduct a greater exchange of information and, possibly, coordination among Member States to investigate anti-competitive practices by companies operating at intra- Community level;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)
Paragraph 21 b (new)
21b. Calls, within the framework of the Lisbon Strategy, for support to be given to national schemes aimed at reducing or withdrawing unjustified regulatory interventions in the retail sector which would restrict competition and the smooth operation of the food supply chain at consumers' expense;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 c (new)
Paragraph 21 c (new)
21c. Takes the view that the clemency programme should be employed both at national and at Community level, so that the competent competition authorities can learn about more anti-competitive practices in the food supply chain;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 d (new)
Paragraph 21 d (new)
21d. Points out that, apart from Community competition rules, there are many other policies at European level governing the operation of the retail trade, which include, inter alia, Community single market rules and Community consumer law; stresses that all these policies should converge and be centrally coordinated at European level so as to achieve the best possible results at consumer price level;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Calls for the introduction of mechanisms to combat speculation in the financial markets with agricultural commodities and financial instruments based on them; further calls for adaptation of the rules of participation in futures markets and a better regulation of these markets in general;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)
Paragraph 31 a (new)
31a. Stresses that the consumer protection policy covers not only prices but also food variety and quality; proposes, therefore, that the Commission investigate under which operating conditions in the food supply chain, in particular in the retail sector, a loss of quality and variety in products can be observed;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 b (new)
Paragraph 31 b (new)
31b. Notes the added value of local retailer shops that provide an important contribution to bridge the gap between producers and consumers and also improve the quality of life in rural areas by creating work opportunities and reinforcing existing social links;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Paragraph 35 a (new)
35a. Is concerned at the fact that the negotiating strength of food producers at the expense of retailers, due to a strong brand name or product differentiation, acquires a disproportionately negative significance in the Commission's Communication compared to other very much more important factors such as imperfect competition or oligopolistic/monopolistic practices; takes the view that the creation of a strong brand name or product differentiation are legitimate practices and that it is only the abuse of the position which these practices may confer that constitutes unfair practice;