While we welcome the European Commission’s proposal to improve cross-border enforcement of the 2019 Directive on Unfair Trading Practices (UTPs) in the agricultural and food supply chain, we believe the current draft falls short of its potential. In particular, it overlooks the rights of non-EU producers and suppliers who sell directly into the EU market, leaving them without effective access to complaint mechanisms or protection from abusive practices.

Our proposed amendments aim to align the regulation with the upcoming revision of the UTP Directive, including a crucial ban on purchasing below the cost of sustainable production. We also call for extending enforcement cooperation to include non-EU stakeholders and ensuring their inclusion in the EU alert and coordination systems.

With the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) set to debate the file, we urge policymakers to seize this opportunity to strengthen protections across borders and ensure fairness throughout the global supply chain.

This document outlines our key recommendations to strengthen enforcement, close protection gaps, and support a fairer and more sustainable global food system.

Read the full list of proposed amendments here.

Signatories:

Oxfam
Fair Trade Advocacy Office (FTAO)
COLEAD
Fairtrade International