How food trade wants to strengthen farmers «DiePresse.com

Rarely has there been such a high density of entrepreneurs in the Austrian food trade. And, moreover, an incomparable unity. Minister of Sustainable Development Elisabeth Köstinger (ÖVP) and the trade badociation were invited to a press conference during which the large national traders, representing more than 90% of the market, self-declared against the practices unfair trade. Negotiations at EU level on the EU directive on UTPs in the food supply chain have been defeated but are about to be completed. Austria, however, wishes to play a pioneering role in this area. At the same time, the creation of an ombudsman was announced, allowing farmers to solve their problems. It was urgent to improve the position of the peasant family throughout the food chain, said Minister Köstinger.

The ministry collaborated with the Federal Competition Authority (BWB) to develop a fairness catalog to which the food trade made a statement of personal commitment. This indicates that companies do not practice "good practice". Unfavorable practices include refusal to enter into contracts in writing, unilaterally changing contracts retroactively, charging small suppliers even on shelves, or even returning unsold products.

Farmers Ombudsman

Where there are rules, there must also be control. In addition to the Whistlebloewer home page already installed, an ombudsman office is legally anchored at BWB. Thus, the "missing link" between the jurisdiction and BWB's whistleblowing system has been set to be closed by the gray areas, said Handelsverbands Managing Director Rainer Will. Mediation should contribute to conflict resolution. The mediator's other tasks are anonymous counseling, legal information and the exchange of information. Illegal cases are transferred from this body to the competent authority. According to Köstinger, the ombudsman's office, created primarily for farmers and producer organizations, is expected to be operational in the course of 2019.

The president of the professional badociation Frank Hensel, boss of Rewe for many years, has been talking about a good day for Austria, the food trade and agriculture. Volunteering is always the best way. In the long run, the bias does not work, so that Hensel. Problematic cases must be resolved before they come to the public. Limit cases have shown in the past that they were not always well received. Overall, he expects the declaration to strengthen Austria as a place of implementation. Austria is the country where the proportion of organic food is highest and biodiversity needs to be further expanded.

Content of the controversial European directive

The European Parliament was the trigger for this step of the professional badociation with the ministry. This had caused great confusion at the end of October when a German agricultural lobby had tried to inflate the future EU directive with new bans. For example, mergers with purchasing cooperatives should be categorically prohibited. Independent savings merchants would have had very bad cards when it came to buying goods. The big outcry was aroused, we talked about a stop by the back door. The second ban planned to prohibit the private label trade, namely that farmers in the future impose rules in the field of environmental protection and protection of the environment. environment, going beyond the statutory measure adopted by the EU, made Gerhard Drexel, boss of Spar, "stunned": Stammtisch level ".

The bosses of Rewe, Spar, Hofer, Lidl and Metro have in any case agreed that their engagement was a real signal and that all parties would benefit. The partnership between traders and farmers has been a cornerstone and a reinforcement of the value chain for decades. Merchants also want to help preserve the diversity of farmers and producer groups. We do not want Austria, for example, to have only three dairies. Because they are great themselves, the dealers.