Speaking to MEPs, Copa & Cogeca Food Chain Working Party Chairman Joe Healy said “I welcome calls from European Parliaments’ Agriculture Committee as well as from the Czech Republic, Slovakian and Slovenian Farm Ministers for legislation to be swiftly introduced into the food chain to improve farmers' positioning. We need legislation at EU level with independent enforcement by an authority to combat unfair practices and to apply significant sanctions to those that break EU law”.
He also told MEPs of the difficult situation facing farmers, with their incomes at 40% of average earnings when compared to other sectors of the economy. He underlined Copa and Cogecas’ positive reaction to the EU Agri-Markets Task Force chaired by Cees Veerman to improve farmers’ weak position in the food chain. In particular, he welcomed the extension of Producer Organisations (POs) to all agricultural sectors in the Single Common Market Organisation (CMOs) but warned that it hasn’t contributed significantly yet to improving farmers’ positioning in the food value chain.
“Faced with all the challenges, farmers need to have clear operating tools that enable them to work together in agri-cooperatives, producer organisations, and associations of producers organisations. They need clarity so that they can use to the maximum capacity these provisions without risks. It is vital to clearly provide farmers engaged in these actions with legal certainty and clarity on what they are doing”, he concluded.
EU Commissioner Phil Hogan meanwhile announced the timetable for legislation on UTPs at the meeting, saying that an impact assessment will be carried out, followed by a public consultation and proposals in Spring 2018.
