Single market for food
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 Verschueren
EU Parliament resists retailers’ pressure, starts talks on unfair trade practices
Brushing aside pressure from EU retailers, the European Parliament gave Paolo De Castro, a socialist MEP and rapporteur for unfair trade practices, the mandate on Thursday (25 October) to immediately start trilogue negotiations on the issue with the EU Council and Commission.
New food transparency rules risk falling victim to EU institution spat
The future of the new proposed rules on food transparency is unclear, as the European Parliament and the Commission disagree on the timeframe to move the discussion forward.
EU retailers pressure MEPs to kill unfair trade practices proposals
Retailers are putting pressure on EU lawmakers to postpone a much-awaited vote next week on the European Commission’s proposed directive on unfair trade practices, EURACTIV.com has learnt.
Human suffering should never be an ingredient in the food we eat
Unfair trading practices must be banned from supermarket supply chains to improve the income and working conditions of the people who produce our food in Europe and across the globe, write Marc-Olivier Herman and Tom Wills.
A perspective from Spain: What is unfair for one is unfair for all
As Brussels decision-makers begin their final discussions on the European directive on Unfair Trading Practices this autumn, they would do well to consider assessing some of the successful laws in place around Europe, which have had an overwhelmingly positive impact on the entire food supply chain, write Promarca and FIAB.
Visegrad +4 push for extension of unfair trade practices to large suppliers
The Visegrad Four, as well as Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia and Slovenia, have warned about “disproportions” in the food supply chain if large suppliers are not covered by the European Commission’s proposal on unfair trade practices (UTPs).
Debate on the scope of unfair trade practices heats up in EU Parliament
The final scope of the European Commission’s proposals on unfair trade practices (UTPs) in the EU food supply chain has divided stakeholders, as it has not been decided yet if large companies should also be included in the legislation, in addition to small and medium firms.
MEPs ask Commission to reject industry’s alcohol labelling proposal
A group of MEPs has called on the European Commission to turn down an industry proposal on alcohol labelling, claiming that alcoholic beverages should no longer enjoy a preferential regime compared to other foodstuffs.
Mars boss: EU-UK should prepare to extend Article 50 or transition period
London and Brussels should be “pragmatic” and prepare to either extend Article 50 or the transition period so that Brexit talks can progress "in the right way", Mars Wrigley Confectionery's regional president for Europe, Russia, CIS and Turkey told EURACTIV.com.
Corteva boss: ‘Mother Nature’ changes the game quickly and demands new agricultural tools
“Mother Nature” is changing quickly and this requires the adoption of technology-driven solutions that will help both growers and consumers, Jim Collins, the chief operating officer of Corteva Agriscience, the Agriculture Division of DowDuPont, told EURACTIV.
Equal standards for food across the EU: A matter of taste? No, a matter of quality!
What is in the food that we buy? It’s a question whose answer is less certain than it should be. Shockingly, many food manufacturers find it acceptable to sell their food with standard packaging throughout the EU, but with very different content, and often lower quality, in different countries, writes Lilyana Pavlova.
Chocolate firms still have long way to go to have sustainable policies
Chocolate companies still have “a huge amount of work to do” in implementing truly sustainable policies, with some doing much better than others, the Washington-based NGO Mighty Earth concluded in a consumer guide ranking chocolate producers, published a few days ahead of Easter.
EU farm support does not distort trade, Commission tells Washington
The EU financial support to farmers, including to Spanish olive producers, does not distort trade, European Commission sources told EURACTIV.com in light of the rising tensions between Brussels and the US government over trade. VideoPromoted content
Europe’s Food and Drink Industry celebrates successes of Single Market
FoodDrinkEurope marks the 25th anniversary of the Single Market — and the wide variety of food and drink it offers to consumers across Europe — with a new campaign that celebrates the diversity of products available.
Country of origin food labelling to be voluntary, but not always
Country of origin food labelling will be obligatory only if the main ingredient of a particular food product comes from a different country and the producer wants to have the country of origin label, a European Commission spokesperson told EURACTIV.com.
Danish illegal ‘feta’ cheese exports face EU probe
The European Commission warned Copenhagen to enforce protection of the protected designation of origin “Feta”, following information that Danish companies export the product outside the EU with misleading labelling.
UK agriculture must ‘invest to compete’ after Brexit, say industry leaders
Britain’s agriculture industry must work to “incentivise the implementation of research and development” if it is to compete globally after Brexit, farming leaders told a EURACTIV roundtable in Westminster on Tuesday (16 January).
Food and drink industry calls for ‘functioning’ single market, Brexit certainty
Europe’s food and drink industry relies heavily on the EU single market to underpin its steady growth rate, but it has warned that Brexit poses a real threat to the future of many businesses.
Cheese is the beef as EU-Mexico trade talks resume
The EU and Mexico resumed talks Monday (8 January) aimed at sealing a new version of their 18-year-old trade deal, a project that has hit several snags – including the touchy issue of cheese.
Italy spearheads initiative to limit rice imports to the EU
Italy and seven other EU countries asked the European Commission on 24 November to allow them to limit rice imports from Cambodia, on the grounds of “protecting the Italian and European Rice industry.”
Italy’s labelling manoeuvre worries Commission and pasta makers
An Italian tribunal approved on 22 November the decrees signed by the ministries of agriculture and of economic development to include the country of origin of cereals on rice and pasta labels. The move was welcomed by Coldiretti, Italy’s largest farmers union, but worried the European Commission and pasta makers.
Italian Minister: Agriculture and environment must go ‘hand in hand’
Agriculture and the environment must go hand in hand, taking into account the role that each plays, Italian Minister for Environment Gian Luca Galletti told EURACTIV.com.
Agri-food industries highlight risks of hard Brexit, demand clarity
The EU’s food and drink industry has joined forces with farmers and agri-food traders to call for a smooth Brexit transition and highlight the damage a cliff-edge EU exit would do to the bloc’s food chain.Supporter
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.