Brussels, 25 October 2023 – AIM, the European Brands Association, calls on the European Parliament to ensure a fact-based approach to the revision of the EU’s Geo-blocking Regulation, following the adoption of an own-initiative report in IMCO which reveals a...
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Brussels, 4 October 2023 – A survey of 900 manufacturers from the consumer goods industry across 28 countries in Europe reveals 78% continue to adapt production due to unforeseen costs in the past year, as the future outlook for investment in Europe...
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Brussels, 13 September 2023 – AIM welcomes the European Commission’s latest proposal unveiled yesterday to ensure a fair and competitive trading environment in Europe by cracking down on late payments in business transactions. “Fairness for All” is a principle the...
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Brussels, 13 July 2023 – AIM takes note of the European Commission’s decision to close its investigations into certain specific issues relating to some international retail alliances. The Commission’s decision makes it...
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Brussels, 23 March 2023 – AIM, the European Brands Association, welcomes yesterday’s adoption by the French Parliament of the “Law to strengthen the balance in the commercial relations between suppliers and distributors”. The new law clarifies the rules governing trade...
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Brussels, 9 March 2023 – AIM, the European Brands Association, regrets today’s decision by the European Court of Justice to uphold the French supermarkets’ claim that the European Commission failed to respect...
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Brussels, 6 March 2023 – AIM, the European Brands Association, agrees with the European Commission’s recent statement that fair business practices in Europe’s fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) market, including in the...
READ MOREBrussels, 15 December 2022 – Persistent upheaval in the global economy has had a significant impact on the European consumer goods industry, a survey of manufacturers in the food/beverages, homecare and personal care consumer goods sectors published today by AIM,...
READ MOREBrussels, 9 December 2022 – As the EU prepares to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of the Single Market, a new report by NERA Economic Consulting demonstrates the need for a fact-based discussion in the consumer goods industry, to provide even...
READ MOREBrussels, 26 October 2022 – Some of Europe’s largest international retailers have entered into collective tying arrangements via alliances that create wasteful market access barriers and prevent pass on of lower prices to consumers. An economic study[1] published today by...
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Brussels – 20 July 2022 – Joint purchasing activities between supermarkets have significantly increased in the past decade and reinforced the...
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Brussels – 9 June 2022 – AIM, the European Brands Association, welcomes the new EU competition rules for vertical agreements (“the new rules”) that the European Commission published on 10th May 2022. Overall well-grounded and substantiated, the new rules are the...
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Brussels – 17 May 2022 – The Plenary of the European Parliament adopted on 5 May 2022 its annual own-initiative report on EU competition policy outlining its policy recommendations for the European Commission in the area. AIM, the European Brands...
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AIM, the European Brands Association, co-signed today a joint industry statement with 59 other industry associations calling on the European Commission to create one single Circular Economy, not 27 separate ones, underpinned by an integrated Single Market. In their joint...
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Brussels, 31 March 2022 – AIM, the European Brands Association, welcomes the landmark political agreement reached last week by the European Parliament and Council on the proposed Digital Markets Act (DMA), which will help curb gatekeeper platforms’ unfair trading practices online...
READ MOREBrussels, 14 December 2021 – AIM, the European Brands Association, deplores the overly pro-platform direction of the report adopted today by the European Parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) Committee on the proposed Digital Services Act (DSA), leaving European...
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AIM, the European Brands Association, co-signed today a joint industry-NGO statement on the Digital Services Act (DSA), together with BEUC, the consumer organisation, and 30 other industry and civil society groups stressing that, in their current shape, some compromises on DSA...
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Brussels, 24 November 2021 – AIM, the European Brands Association, welcomes the adoption by the European Parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee of a report on tackling the non-tariff and non-tax barriers in the Single Market. The Single Market...
READ MOREBrussels, 3 November 2021 – AIM, the European Brands Association, welcomes the adoption last week by the Economic & Monetary Affairs (ECON) and Industry (JURI) Committees of the European Parliament of opinions laying out their views on the Commission’s proposal for...
READ MOREPress Release, Brussels, 1 November - Today marks the entry into force of pioneering EU legislation on trading practices to ensure a fair and competitive food supply chain. It is unfortunate, however, that a number of EU Member States have...
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Brussels, 28 October 2021 – AIM, the European Brands Association, is deeply concerned about the continuous claims in the DSA debate that small platforms, portrayed as “EU SMEs”, couldn’t cope with certain obligations set out in the DSA and should...
READ MOREBrussels, 22 October 2021 – AIM, the European Brands Association, is becoming increasingly concerned about reports of the behaviours of new retail alliance Epic Partners, which spans markets from Portugal to Russia Incorporated in Geneva in March 2021, Epic Partners...
READ MOREBrussels, 13 October 2021 – AIM, the European Brands Association, applauds the recently broadcasted documentary entitled “Hypermarkets: the fall of the empire” on ARTE/RTBF that sheds light on some of the illegal and unfair trading practices (UTPs) in which European...
READ MOREPress release, Brussels, 17 September 2021 - AIM has published its response to the European Commission’s public consultation on the draft revised Regulation on vertical agreements and vertical guidelines. AIM, the European Brands Association, has been an active participant in...
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Representing several industries and sectors across Europe, AIM and six other associations wrote to EVP Vestager yesterday to raise their concerns over the envisaged reform of dual distribution under the Vertical Block Exemption Regulation (VBER). In its last public consultation,...
READ MOREAIM welcomes the EC’s willingness to consider policy changes to reflect the new omni-channel market reality: online players no longer need the protection over the brick-and-mortar channel that the EC granted when it revised the VBER/VGL package in 2010. Brand...
READ MOREPress release, Brussels, 9 June 2021 - The Plenary of the European Parliament adopted yesterday its annual own-initiative report on EU competition policy setting out its policy recommendations for the European Commission in the area. AIM, the European Brands Association,...
READ MOREPress release, Brussels, 23 April 2021 - AIM has published its response to the European Commission’s questionnaire for the public consultation on a block exemption Regulation and guidelines on vertical agreements. AIM, the European Brands Association, has been an active...
READ MOREPress Release, Brussels, 30 April 2021 - The 1st of May deadline for the transposition into national law of pioneering EU legislation to ensure a fair and competitive food supply chain will unfortunately pass without this achievement in most EU...
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Press release, Brussels, 26 March 2021 - Edeka, the 55.7 billion euro German retail giant, announced its departure today from powerhouse retail alliance AgeCore, to join yet another newly formed alliance Everest, under AgeCore’s previous leadership. AgeCore, with a gross...
READ MOREPress Release, Brussels, 19 February 2021 - The French government today has acted on the abusive unfair trading practices imposed on 93 suppliers by French retailer Intermarché through its international alliance, AgeCore, and Intermarché Belgium. Seeking a fine of over...
READ MOREPress Release, Brussels, 15 December 2020 - AIM, the European Brands Association, welcomes the publication of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and looks forward to engaging in the debates to ensure Europe takes the...
READ MOREThe Digital Services Act is the opportunity to update the online platform economy legal framework to encourage all actors to play fairly and to comply with EU standards, to protect consumers and safeguard trust in the digital environment. Europe has...
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PRESS RELEASE - The European Commission’s study on the Single Market in the retail sector published today concludes that “there is no hard or documentary evidence available” on the use of territorial supply constraints i.e. such as refusals to supply...
READ MOREAIM, the European Brands Association, and other key industry associations of the packaging value chain have come together under the Packaging Chain Forum to voice their common concerns about the integrity of the Single Market for packaging and packaged goods....
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Together with Copa-Cogeca, representing farmers and agri-cooperatives, and FoodDrinkEurope, representing food manufacturers, AIM, the European Brands Association, has issued a...
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Together with 32 organisations, AIM, the European Brands Association, co-signed a declaration highlighting the key role transport and logistics are playing for the supply of essential goods in the coronavirus crisis. The transport sector has a crucial role to play...
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We must aim for a legitimate digital economy framework that encourages all actors to play fairly and to comply with EU standards, to protect consumers and safeguard trust in the digital environment. Such a framework for trust will give Europe the chance to lead in this space for the future.
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AIM has published its contribution to the EU Commission's Open Consultation on the review of the horizontal guidelines . AIM agrees with the Guidelines that joint-purchasing agreements may, in the right circumstances, generate procompetitive efficiencies. At the same time, the...
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Industry4Europe, a coalition of 149 sector Associations representing the diversity of the EU’s industrial base, today published its new Joint Paper ‘A long-term strategy for Europe’s industrial future: from words to action’. Through cross-sectoral recommendations, the Industry4Europe coalition contributes to...
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Malcolm Swift, President Global Flavour Solutions and McCormick International, has been recently elected as President of AIM by the AIM Board. Malcolm, one of the longest serving Board members of the association, has assumed the position as of 1 November...
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AIM-PROGRESS members continued to demonstrate progress in their responsible sourcing programs in 2018 with an impressive maturity leap: 50% of members are now identified as having ‘Integrated’ responsible sourcing programs, thereby being in the upper half of the maturity scale,...
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AIM and FoodDrinkEurope, representing European branded food manufacturers, welcome today’s publication of a comprehensive analysis by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) of 128 branded and private label food and drink products across 19 EU Member States, which confirms...
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A VBER and VGL that fit for the Consumer Ecosystem Era: Consumers are engaged today in a vastly different brand ecosystem experience. On the other hand, Brands strive to deliver in one seamless environment the necessary elements to meet and...
READ MOREToday, Members of the European Parliament strongly voted in favour of promoting a fair food supply chain, delivering on their promise to #CutTheUnfair. The signatories welcome this historic vote for banning unfair trading practices in the food value chain. This...
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FoodDrinkEurope and AIM acknowledge the agreement reached today between the European Commission, Parliament and the Member States on the proposed Unfair Trading Practices (UTPs) Directive. After decades of discussions, and many months of intensive debate, we appreciate the efforts made...
READ MOREThe undersigned organisations represent interests in a wide range of packaging materials, including plastics, and sectors at different stages of the packaging value chain in Europe. Building on earlier joint statements, we remain committed to working with EU policymakers to...
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The Industry4Europe coalition has issued a Joint Call to the candidates for the 2019 European Elections. The Joint Call sets out the Coalition's aim to make industry the priority for EU policy makers, including future Members of the European Parliament...
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The EU Parliament Agriculture Committee voted with an overwhelming majority for a fair food supply chain benefiting all actors and consumers. This historic vote is welcomed by the entire European food supply chain as a key step towards ensuring fairness...
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Ahead of the upcoming SCA of the Council and EU Parliament discussions on the Proposal for a Directive on Unfair Trading Practices, AIM – the European Brands Association, CEJA – the European Council of Young Farmers, Copa-Cogeca – the European...
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The 11 million farmers and 293.000 food producers of Europe welcome today’s vote by Members of the European Parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee on the UTPs Directive as a clear step towards ensuring a fair and well-functioning food...
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As the European Brands Association, we represent 2,500 branded consumer goods manufacturers, small, medium and large, across the European Union. A European retail sector fit for the 21st century is critical to brands manufacturers as retailers are the route by...
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On 10 July 2018, MEP Paolo De Castro presented his draft report on the proposed Directive to fight unfair trading practices (UTPs) in the food supply chain to Members of the European Parliament’s Agriculture and Rural Development Committee. AIM, Copa...
READ MOREAIM supports a “fairness for all players in the supply chain” approach. We believe that the current proposal for legislation on Unfair Trading Practices should apply to all players in the food supply chain. Unless the entire supply chain is...
READ MOREAIM, the European Brands Association, and FoodDrinkEurope, the European food and drink industry organisation, welcome the release of a new harmonised methodology for comparing the quality related characteristics of foods by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC). Announced last...
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Today, the European Commission has published a proposal for a Directive on unfair trading practices (UTPs) in the food supply chain. The European Brands Association AIM, the European Council of Young Farmers Ceja, the Liaison Centre for the Meat Processing...
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Together with seven associations and NGOs from the food supply chain, AIM calls on the European Commission to propose legislation to combat unfair trading practices in Europe. The letter signed by the European Brands Association AIM, the European Council of...
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The Board of AIM, the European Brands Association, has today appointed Michelle Gibbons as Director General with effect from January 1, 2018. Ms Gibbons succeeds Alain Galaski who will leave the Association after 25 years as Director General in December...
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In his State of the Union address, Commission President Juncker said he "cannot accept inferior food for consumers" in certain markets - we fully agree. Practices which are not in line with existing EU legislation, if any, should be clearly...
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Unilever’s President of Europe, Jan Zijderveld is to bring his expertise to bear as he has been voted President of AIM – the European Brands Association. Jan outlines what he hopes to bring as he will represent the branded goods...
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The Supply Chain Initiative (SCI) presented its third annual report at an event in the European Parliament sponsored by MEPs Dita Charanzová and Ivan Štefanec, on 24 January 2017. The...
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The Commission’s report issued on 29 January on unfair trading practices in the food supply chain provides valuable clarifications on existing frameworks for tackling unfair trading practices in the EU. Although there is room for improvement, measures to combat UTPs...
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On 27 January, at Thon Hotel EU, the Supply Chain Initiative will release its annual report of activities two years after its launch. The Supply Chain Initiative aims at promoting good trading practices in the food supply chain. It was...
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As a founding member of the Supply Chain Initiative (SCI), AIM is very pleased that the Governance Group of the SCI decided to further simplify the procedure for the registration of SMEs. As a further encouragement to micro and small...
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On 13 March, the Board of AIM, the European Brands Association, unanimously voted Poul Weihrauch, Global President of Mars Petcare, as the Association’s new President. He takes over from Laurent Freixe, Executive Vice-President of Nestlé. Mr. Weihrauch will hold office...
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Bundling freight flows across multiple manufacturers to create logistics synergies and achieve significant improvements in cost, service level and sustainability is a strategic driver of AIM’s supply chain activities. This was the theme of a joint workshop by AIM and...
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The economic impact of modern retail on choice and innovation in the EU food sector – AIM & FoodDrinkEurope comments on the study commissioned by DG Competition of the European Commission. DOWNLOAD
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Unfair trading practices adversely affect companies’ capacity to innovate and invest for the long term. This innovation and investment is needed to improve constantly value to consumers and fulfil the EU’s objective to create smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Therefore...
READ MOREFor the last plenary, AIM would like to thank the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) for their constructive spirit in their discussions with consumer brand manufacturers to get Europe ‘back to growth’. During our meetings and exchanges, they supported...
READ MOREThis year’s Consumer Summit focused on how we can ensure that consumers reap the full benefits from the digital market place. AIM participated to share consumer brand manufacturers’ ideas on the best way to achieve this objective. This year's Summit...
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The High Level Group on Retail Competitiveness aims to assist the European Commission in developing policies to improve the long-term competitiveness of the EU retail sector. Its first meeting on 20 January 2014 focuses on retail innovation, a subject of...
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On 16 September, AIM and six other EU level associations launched "The Supply Chain Initiative, together for good trading practices”, with the aim to increase fairness in commercial relations along the food supply chain. Since then, this initiative has gathered...
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On 26 September the European Parliament held a first Retail Market Roundtable on a more efficient and fairer retail market, initiated by MEP Anna Maria Corazza Bildt. The objective of the Roundtable was to bring together different stakeholders to discuss...
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The debate on the digital economy and innovation that will be held at the next European Council (26-27 October) is an important step towards ensuring the completion of the Digital Single Market. For the branded goods industry that AIM represents...
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At a special event in Brussels on 16 September 2013, The Supply Chain Initiative was formally launched in the presence of 150 representatives from manufacturers, retailers, the European Commission and the European Parliament. On the day of the launch 82...
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On Monday 16 September 2013, AIM and six other EU level trade associations will be launching "The Supply Chain Initiative - together for good trading practices". The Initiative promotes fair business practices in commercial relations throughout the food supply chain....
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Based on data from Euromonitor International, AIM is publishing 2012 data on consumer spending on brands within food, drink, home and personal care. For the EU the figure amounts to as much as 640 bn €. AIM also provides a...
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As a steady flow of companies, both manufacturers and retailers, are joining the stakeholder-driven initiative on fair trading practices, a date for its formal launch has now been set. On 16 September top industry representatives will present the initiative to...
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At this week's ECR Europe conference in Brussels, AIM and EuroCommerce called on their members to implement a code of fair trading practice developed by the organisations representing the food supply chain, from farmer to retailer. Companies can now commit...
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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...
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Today, the Commission released its long-awaited Communication on a Single Market for Green Products and a recommendation on the proposed methodologies for Product and Organisation Environmental Footprinting. AIM is supportive of the Commission's approach for a single EU wide methodology...
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Please find here the AIM Position Paper “Actions not Acts – Practical Steps to Complete the Single Market”:
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