Over recent years, there has been a shift in bargaining power in the food supply chain, mostly to the advantage of the retail sector and some transnational companies and to the detriment of suppliers, in particular primary producers. The concentration of bargaining power has led to the abuse of positions of dominance causing weaker operators to become increasingly vulnerable to Unfair Trading Practices (UTPs). The opinion takes stock of the impact of UTPs, stresses the difficult position of the most vulnerable actors along the chain and calls for action at EU level to stop UTPs and promote a fairer food supply chain.
Download — EESC opinion: Promoting a fairer agro-food supply chain
The EESC expresses its support for the Commission in combating the erosion of Member States' tax bases and unfair tax competition. The Committee in this context endorses the introduction of a CCCTB and is also pleased that the Commission has published a list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions. The EESC goes even further and proposes that EU rules should include sanctions for companies that continue to run their business through tax havens.
Download — EESC opinion: Action Plan on Fairer Corporate Taxation
welcomes the Commission’s 2024 approach, which seeks to align competition enforcement with the EU’s digital, green and industrial policy priorities while safeguarding a well-functioning Single Market:
supports the Commission’s efforts to enhance the effectiveness and predictability of competition rules, including the development of new guidelines on exclusionary abuses of dominance, the modernised Market Definition Notice, and improved tools to assess consumer welfare impacts;
stresses the importance of strong and effective enforcement in digital markets, both under traditional competition rules and through the growing application of the Digital Markets Act.;
calls for stronger merger control, including a framework to scrutinise below-threshold acquisitions that may harm competition (e.g. “killer acquisitions”), and urges greater consideration of labour market impacts and innovation dynamics in merger assessments;
highlights the need for State aid rules to promote cross-border participation, reduce fragmentation and support strategic investments essential for the Clean Industrial Deal, while ensuring cohesion and a level playing field across Member States.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is pressing the EU to urgently tighten rules on third-country e-commerce platforms such as Temu and Shein, warning that their rapid expansion is undermining fair competition, consumer protection and regulatory compliance.
The EU needs a sharper focus on competition policy to strengthen its global competitiveness, boost productivity and ensure the single market remains a pillar of economic strength, according to the EESC.
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Single Market, the EESC held a debate about the future of the world's largest trading bloc with Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager. The Single Market is widely considered the EU's greatest achievement, but has also shown its limitations in the face of current crises.
On 14 March, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), the Fair Trade Advocacy Office (FTAO) and the Global Competition Law Centre of the College of Europe organised an online conference on Competition Policy and Social Sustainability to continue the debate onhow joint sustainability initiatives can be compatible with competition law.
