MAGAZINE - Copa-Cogeca

8 │ April 2012
Euro Coop highlights benefits
of principles of good practice in
food chain and events scheduled
for international year of
cooperatives
In a bid to combat unfair and abusive practices along the food
chain, notably in contractual relations, Rodrigo Gouveia,
Secretary-General of Euro Coop, highlighted in an interview
the benefits of the recently agreed set of principles of good
practices. The move signifies a major achievement for all
actors along the food chain, from farmers, agricooperatives,
traders, food industry, to retailers.
These unfair commercial practice s may include cases where
contracting parties refuse to put essential terms in writing
in agreements, making it difficult to establish rights and
obligations. This work led to a set of principles of good
practices and examples of fair and unfair practices to ensure a
better functioning food supply chain and was carried out by
a multistakeholder dialogue group composed of 11 European
representative organisations. This was set up within the
framework of the High Level Forum for a Better Functioning
Food Supply Chain, chaired by Vice-President Tajani. The
general and specific principles cover aspects such as written
agreements, predictability of changes in contractual terms,
compliance, information, confidentiality, responsibility
of contractual partners. For example, contracting parties
must ensure that the agreements are put in writing where
practicable.
Mr Gouveia went on to outline other major challenges facing
him at the moment such as the Commissions sustainable
consumption and production action plan which includes
issues such as labelling, educating consumers. He is also
working on the retail action plan which could include issues
such as harmonising labelling requirements.
Euro Coop will also participate in the International Year of
Cooperatives 2012,highlighting the crucial role cooperatives
play in the marketplace and the key contribution they make to
the EU 2020 strategy for growth and employment. Together
with Copa-Cogeca, Euro Coop will hold a major Seminar
in Cooperative Week on “Cooperatives Working Towards a
Fair and Competitive Food supply Chain” and co-organise a
Youth Conference in June as well as a Consumer Cooperative
Worldwide workshop in the last week of October.
The agreement was warmly welcomed by the High Level
Group and Mr Gouveia stressed that it represents a big step
forward, especially as it applies to the whole food chain and
does not discriminate a single sector. It demonstrates we can
bridge our differences, he added. For those that sign up to
it, it will mean that they will have to take up and apply the
principles. It should be widely used, he insisted. Mr Gouveia
is chairing the group responsible for drawing up a framework
for implementation and enforcement before the end of
June to ensure the rules are properly enforced and disputes
are solved when principles are not applied. This is a major
challenge, he said. Among other features, there will have to
be sanctions if the principles are not applied, he added, but
the group is reflecting on the best type of dissuasive penalties
to impose.