Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 December 2017
571. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of progress towards the programme for Government commitment to support for further action at EU level to deliver greater transparency and fairness in the food supply chain; and the number of Council of Agriculture Ministers' meetings at which he has raised this subject with colleagues. [53982/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe issue of greater transparency in the food chain supply has been discussed on four occasions in 2017 at the Council of Agriculture Ministers meetings. The European Commission is now currently conducting a public consultation exercise on whether EU level action is needed to address anti-competitive practices caused by the weaker position of farmers and SMEs in the food supply chain vis-a-vis other levels of the chain. This assessment is to take into account the work conducted by both the Agricultural Markets Task Force (AMTF) and the High-Level Forum for a Better Functioning Food Supply Chain (HLF).In line with the European Regulatory Fitness and Performance (REFIT) programme, the Commission will assess and summarise all the relevant available evidence and establish the need for EU action, including through a legislative initiative, by means of an Impact Assessment (IA). The outcome of this exercise, in accordance with the due process requirements for an IA, is to be presented in the first half of 2018.
