Improving Food Supply Chain in the EU

Enterprise and Industry


The High Level Forum for a Better Functioning Food Supply Chain

Benjamin Vallin

DG Enterprise and IndustryUnit F4 | Food & Healthcare industries, Biotechnology

Food and Beverages Processing Expert Group OECD, Paris, 4 March 2014



Food and beverages in the EU

• Huge market • Over 500 million consumers

• 15% household expenses (21% with catering)

• Major role in EU economy

• 17 million companies and agric. holdings

• 6% of EU GDP

• No. 1 EU manufacturing sector

• in value added and turnover (EUR 1 trillion)

• in employment (4.2 million)

• EU = No. 1 on global agri-food markets

• 19% of total agri-food export flows

• Share is decreasing

2



Timeline• 2

008

• High Level Group on Competitiveness

• 2009

• Recommendations, followed by a Commission Communication

• 2010

• High Level Forum for a Better Functioning Food Supply Chain

• 2012

• Report on roadmap implementation, recommendations for further action

• 2013

• Mandate extended until end-2014

• 2014

• Final report



Timeline• 2

008

• High Level Group on Competitiveness

• 2009

• Recommendations, followed by a Commission Communication

• 2010

• High Level Forum for a Better Functioning Food Supply Chain

• 2012

• Report on roadmap implementation, recommendations for further action

• 2013

• Mandate extended until end-2014

• 2014

• Final report



High level group on the competitiveness of the food industry

Task:

Identify the factors that influence the competitive position and sustainability of the food industry

Formulate a set of sector-specific recommendations



Membership

• Commission

• Ministers

• Farmers

• Trade unions

• Manu-facture

rs

• Traders

• NGOs



A vision for the food & drink industry

The creation of a highly competitive European food industry that is a world leader in providing consumers with a wide variety of sustainable, safe, nutritious and high-quality food commodities at affordable prices.



Integrated approach

• Agriculture &

environ-ment

• Internal market for food

• Operation of the

food chain

• Research and

innovation

• Trade & exports



Results

30 recommendations (March 2009) Addressed to all stakeholders

Roadmap of Key Initiatives (July 2009) Clear time line for implementation

Commission Communication 'a better functioning food supply chain in Europe' (Oct. 2009)

Commission's initiatives



Timeline• 2008 •High Level Group on Competitiveness

• 2009 •Recommendations, followed by a Commission Communication

• 2010 •High Level Forum for a Better Functioning Food Supply Chain

• 2012 •Report on roadmap implementation, recommendations for further action

• 2013 •Mandate extended until end-2014

• 2014 •Final report



High Level For for a Better Functioning Food Supply Chain

Task:

Help with the development of industrial policy in the food sector

Advise on the implementation of the 2009 roadmap of key initiatives and Commission Communication



• Roadmap 80% implemented

• Priorities for continued work

2012 report



Examples of outcomesRecommendation Result

Address relationships along the food supply chain with a view to adopt an EU-wide code of conduct

Self-regulatory initiative on B2B trading practice launched

European sectoral dialogue as a tool of good governance

Sectoral social dialogue committee established

Improve impact assessments to better take into account the effects on the chain and on small and medium-sized companies

Guidance developped and broadly used in Commission assessments

Tackle the issues of asyncrhonous authorisation of GMOs

Technical solution for low level presence in feed

Ensure proper implementation of EU food legislation by Member States

New and updated guidance; trainings



Current priorities

• Business-to-business trading practice

• Fitness check & the regulatory fitness programme

• Sustainable food

• Price monitoring

• New/upcoming challenges (food taxes…)

• Expo Milano 201514



In summary…•Outco

mes

• EU food prices monitoring tool

• Self-regulatory initiative on B2B trading practices

• Interaction with many policy developments

• etc.

•Process

• Membership expanded twice, from 28 to 45

• Joint work by private stakeholders

• Interest from other EU institutions

15



Thank you for your attention!

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/food/competitiveness/forum_food/




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Improving Food Supply Chain in the EU