Slovakia marks a huge success: the door to EU-wide legislation against unfair trade practices is open

Farmers not only in Slovakia, but across the EU will again have the opportunity to enjoy the benefit of a transparent trading environment without unfair practices.

Gabriela Matečná

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  The historic success of the Slovak Presidency and Slovak agricultural diplomacy
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  The ministers for agriculture have unanimously supported Slovakia's proposal to prepare EU-wide legislation to combat unfair trade practices.

Brussels (13 December 2016) - The AGRIFISH Council unanimously approved a ground-breaking document prepared by the Slovak Presidency opening the door to a joint action against unfair trade practices at the European level. Despite the fact that agriculture was not included among the main priorities of the Slovak Presidency, one of its most important consequences will be the results of Slovak agricultural diplomacy.

'The unanimous support of the Council means that unfair trade practices will be under scrutiny at the EU level. Action to combat these practices, which has been overlooked for years, will become one of the priorities of the Council and the European Commission and that is thanks to Slovak agricultural diplomacy. The unfair trade practices will henceforth be seen differently by the Union. Farmers not only in Slovakia, but across the EU will again have the opportunity to enjoy the benefit of a transparent trading environment without unfair practices', said Gabriela Matečná, the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic.

The approved text of the Slovak Presidency entitled 'Strengthening the position of farmers in the food supply chain and fighting against unfair trade practices' underlines the importance of common legislation in the fight against unfair trade practices. At the same time, it calls on the European Commission to take action and prepare possible common, EU-wide legislative and non-legislative proposals.

The Slovak Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has devoted considerable efforts to strengthening the position of farmers in the food supply chain and fighting against unfair trade practices during the six-month Presidency. A thematic conference with Member States was held in Bratislava and the topic was debated in the informal meeting of EU agriculture ministers in Bratislava. Based on Slovakia's initiative, the topic was included in the Commission's work programme for 2017. The priority was also endorsed in the report by the Agricultural Markets Taskforce, which recommends the introduction of EU-wide legislation against unfair trade practices.