Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
1989. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the discussions there have been on the European Commission proposals aimed at banning unfair trading practices in the food supply chain; if he put forward specific proposals in regard to the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34915/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Commission proposal referred to by the Deputy, for an EU Directive on unfair trading practices in business-to-business relationships in the food supply chain, aims to establish a minimum list of unfair trading practices between buyers and suppliers in the food supply chain. In the current draft, the suppliers covered by the proposal are defined as SMEs and the buyers are defined as non SMEs.
My Department is actively participating in the Council Working Party meetings discussing the details of the proposed Directive. There have been 4 meetings of the Working Party to date. My Department has consulted with the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (DBEI) which has responsibility for our current legislation, the Consumer Protection Act 2007 (Grocery Goods Undertakings) Regulations 2016. DBEI has carried out a consultation with stakeholders in Ireland. Separately, my Department has met with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), which is the enforcement authority for that Regulation, as well as with other interested stakeholders and industry representatives.
