Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2020
590. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11949/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra593. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an independent beef regulator will be appointed as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12025/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 590 and 593 together.
The protection of farmers and small-to-medium enterprises involved in the agri food sector is at the heart of the Common Agricultural Policy and in pursuit of that aim, Directive (EU) 2019/633 on Unfair Trading Practices in Business-to-Business Relationships in the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain (UTP Directive), was adopted on 30 April 2019. The UTP Directive aims to improve the position of farmers and small and medium sized businesses in the food supply chain and prohibits certain specific unfair trading practices in the sector, not only beef. The Directive requires the designation of an Enforcement Authority to enforce the rules. The Enforcement Authority can be a new or existing entity.
EU Law requires that the Directive must be transposed into national law by 1 May 2021. As part of the preparations to bring the Directive into law, my Department undertook a stakeholder consultation process in December 2019 which invited submissions from interested parties on the transposition and enforcement of the Directive, including on the form the Enforcement Authority should take. The responses are currently being considered by my Department. The Directive will be transposed in consultation with the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (DBEI) which has responsibility for certain relevant domestic legislation namely the Consumer Protection Act 2007 S.I. 35/2016 (Grocery Goods Undertakings) Regulations 2016. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, under the aegis of DBEI, is the enforcement authority for SI 35/2016. A cross-Departmental working group with my Department and DBEI is in place.
A decision on the designation of the Enforcement Authority will be made in due course.
