Single market for food
Bulgaria mulls a simplified VAT system to boost local fruits and vegetables
The Bulgarian government is planning to boost production of local fruits and vegetable by introducing a new VAT reimbursement system, local media quoted Deputy Minister of Agriculture Chavdar Marinov as saying.
Civil society abandons EU Commission’s anti-obesity forum
A number of public health NGOs have decided to leave the European Commission-led EU Platform for Diet, Physical Activity and Health, in protest at the lack of progress in combatting obesity and related diseases.
Dual food quality: no East-West divide, but different compositions persist
A report published by the European Commission's research body on Monday (24 June) found that there is no 'East-West food quality discrimination in Europe'. It said there was no consistent geographical pattern in the use of same or similar packaging for products with different compositions.
Romania cuts VAT rate for ‘healthy and traditional food’
The Romanian government has decided to promote the consumption of healthy and traditional foodstuffs by cutting the VAT rate from 9% to 5%. EURACTIV Romania reports.
Food industry hails new EU rules on mutual recognition of goods
Food industry representatives welcomed the recently revised EU legislation on mutual recognition of goods as a major step forward in the completion of the EU single market. But they said more efforts were needed to improve standardisation, even the well-harmonised food sector.
Protecting the people behind the barcodes
European ministers meeting in Luxemburg today (9 April) will formally approve new European rules that ban abusive trading practices by supermarkets and large buyers in the global food supply chain, writes Marissa Ryans.
Katainen: Same level of priority for food and medicine in no-deal Brexit
Medicine supplies and food safety standards are both vital and the EU cannot prioritise one over the other in the event of a no-deal Brexit, Vice President of the Commission Jyrki Katainen said on Thursday (4 April).
Battle over unfair trade practices ends, its champion rejoices
On Tuesday (12 March), the European Parliament approved long-awaited legislation on unfair trade practices (UTPs). EURACTIV.com spoke with the lawmaker who shepherded the new rules over the line.
Hogan: No risk of re-nationalising the next CAP
Although member states will play a greater role in the future EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), it will not lose its 'Common' dimension as the Commission will continue to watch over the implementation of national plans, Commissioner Phil Hogan told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
‘EU’s best asset’ needs to be safeguarded, not only improved
While celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Single Market last year, the Commission called it 'Europe’s best asset in a changing world'. But Single Market’s resilience to internal and external shocks still needs to be strengthened further.
Developing Single Market resilience
Policymakers and relevant stakeholders want a further deepening of the Single Market, but they also value keeping 'the EU's main asset' safe from internal and external shocks. Celebrating its 25th anniversary last year, EU lawmakers called for a move away from simple rhetoric towards real delivery and completion of the market.
MEPs want less EU money going to intensive farming
Lawmakers in the European Parliament's environment committee have voted for a reduction in subsidies going to intensive farming under the common agricultural policy as of 2021. EURACTIV France reports.
Agri-food sector calls for foodstuffs ‘ fast-track’ in case of no-deal Brexit
European farmers, agri-traders and food makers are lobbying EU negotiators to consider unilateral contingency measures specific for foodstuffs, as current preparedness procedures alone would not be enough to avoid a harsh impact of no-deal Brexit on the agri-food sector.
Poland admits exporting suspect beef to ten EU countries
The European Commission will send a team of inspectors to Poland on Monday after a TV report showed sick cows being butchered for food in a Polish slaughterhouse.
Czech food producers call for reinstating EU milk quotas
A number of factors ranging from the end of milk quotas to economic sanctions against Russia and Brexit, have put pressure on the EU milk market, leading Czech industry experts to call for reinstating the quota system. EURACTIV Czech Republic reports.
Hogan urges Czech farmers to invest in processing agri-products to boost competitiveness
Czech farmers have to invest more in processing agricultural products if they want to improve their position in an increasingly competitive environment, EU Commissioner Phil Hogan said in an interview with Aktuálně.cz.
Greek farmers fume against mayor who banned short food supply chains
The mayor of Kozani, a city in northern Greece, decided to ban the “movement without intermediaries”, which had created a direct link between local farmers and consumers.
Spanish producers go digital to shorten food supply chains
Spanish producers are increasingly taking advantage of the booming Internet and digital commerce in order to shorten the supply chain and therefore improve their profitability.
Campaigner: Short food supply chain is more than selling local products
Short food supply chains have a multidimensional role to play. They can help revitalise European farms by encouraging young people to work the land, but they also provide cheap and healthy food to consumers and attract tourists, campaigner Geneviève Savigny told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
Short food supply chains in Europe’s south
The concept of short food supply chains (SFSC), where intermediaries between farmers and consumers are removed, was introduced in the 2014-2020 CAP and has risen in recent years. According to a study carried out by the European Parliamentary Research Service...
Green MEPs: New CAP is not ambitious on short food supply chains
The development of short food supply chains, where intermediaries between farmers and consumers are removed, provides consumers with healthier food and especially in the case of Europe’s south, major opportunities to enhance agrotourism, Green MEPs told EURACTIV.com.
MEPs and ministers make final bid for deal on unfair trade practices
Both the current Austrian and incoming Romanian presidencies asked rapporteur Paolo De Castro to return to the negotiating table 'in the spirit of Christmas' for an unexpected final round on unfair trade practice (UTPs) scheduled for today (19 December).
Decisions on unfair trade practices will make or break its usefulness for producers
The forthcoming Unfair Trading Practices (UTPs) directive, which is being finalised in negotiations over the next two weeks, aims to tackle the worst behaviours of the big food buyers, writes Thomas Wills.
Europe should protect its farmers, not big food multinationals
MEPs working on the 'unfair trade practices' directive risk handing a series of victories to food multinationals in the name of 'fairness for all', argues Christian VerschuerenSupporter
FoodDrinkEurope is the organisation of Europe’s food and drink industry. Our supply and manufacturing chains are largely integrated across the EU, whether for small or large businesses, and so is the intra-EU trade. The free circulation of goods guaranteed by the Single Market is essential to a competitive food industry, to uphold its 4.2 million jobs and its growth ambition.
For a Single Market with a purpose
The EU food and drink industry, the largest manufacturing sector in terms of turnover, value added and employment, is a strong advocate for a real Single Market. To that end, FoodDrinkEurope calls for:
- High-level political commitment towards the Single Market, leading to a long-term vision
- Prioritisation of Single Market issues at EU level focusing on a strong, competitive and sustainable supply chain
- High-level coordination to ensure a relevant regulatory framework to support European industry
- Improved functioning of mutual recognition in the non-harmonised areas
Read our Manifesto and find out more.
Industry working with farmers
The food and drink industry builds long-term partnerships with Europe’s farmers to secure a local agricultural supply, creates value and develops market opportunities for agricultural products and connects farmers and consumers in the food chain.
Find out more in our latest report.
Brexit
FoodDrinkEurope aims to play an active role in the Brexit process. Our goal is to ensure the least disruptive outcome for the food and drink sector at large.
Click here to read FoodDrinkEurope's recommendations on the Brexit negotiations.
"Small Scale, Big Impact": Europe"s food and drink SMEs
Out of 289,000 food and drink companies in Europe, 9 in 10 are SMEs. They are present in every region and stand for both tradition and innovation in our industry. They are also at the heart of the Single Market. They may be small in scale, but they are big in impact. They may be small in scale, but they are big in impact.
They may be small in scale, but they are big in impact.