The European Commission is inviting primary producers, processors, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and input providers to share their experience with agreements that are aimed at achieving sustainability objectives in the agri-food supply chains.
The feedback, according to the commission, will help it draft guidelines on a new derogation exempting sustainability agreements in the field of agriculture from competition rules under certain conditions.
EU law, generally, bans agreements between companies that restrict competition, such as agreements between competitors leading to higher prices or lower quantities.
However, the European Parliament and Council of the EU recently adopted a new derogation allowing such restrictions in agreements in the agriculture sector to achieve sustainability standards higher than EU, or national mandatory standards.
This derogation is laid down in a regulation in the Common Agricultural Policy.
The agreements should pursue certain environmental objectives, the reduction of the use of pesticides and of the danger of antimicrobial resistance, and the protection of animal health and welfare, according to the commission.
The parties to the agreements should be agricultural producers acting, possibly, with other actors from the supply chain.
The commission wants to hear from stakeholders to understand the types of sustainability agreements they have developed so far or would like to develop, the potential restrictions of competition that could have resulted or may result from such agreements, as well as the possible impact of such cooperation on supply, prices and innovation.
The commission is seeking the views, in particular, of primary producers and their organisations, processors, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, input providers, as well as inter-branch organisations.
Other interested parties, such as sector analysts, academics, and organisations specialised in sustainability issues for agriculture can also provide their input.
All stakeholders are invited to submit their views on the commission’s consultation website by May 23, 2022.
The commission said it will review all input and will publish the stakeholders’ submissions, a summary of the main findings, and conclusions on the consultation website.
A public consultation on the draft guidelines is expected to happen in 2023.