News & positions

Unfair Trading Practices - AIM responds to Commission consultation

In parallel to the work of AIM and food chain stakeholder associations on Principles of Good Practice and a voluntary framework for their implementation, the Commission has conducted a broad consultation on possible measures at EU level to tackle unfair trading practices, not prejudging whether this would best be done through a law or self-regulation. AIM submitted its response today.

The key points are:

• Unfair trading practices are a serious problem and it makes sense to act also at European level. The place to start is the voluntary initiative to implement Principles of Good Commercial Practice developed by the stakeholders. It should be given a fair chance to prove its worth.
• AIM strongly disagrees, however, with the Commission’s unsubstantiated assumption that “territorial supply constraints” are a source of consumer detriment and that they should be addressed in the context of unfair trading practices. To support this point, AIM has submitted to the Commission a report by competition economists RBB: DOWNLOAD (Report) and DOWNLOAD (Brief)