ARCHIVE: Food and drink: Working in partnership: High level group

On 6th July 2009 the High Level Group (HLG) on Competitiveness within the Agro-Food chain group adopted a Roadmap of key initiatives containing implementation actions for 30 recommendations, previously agreed by the Group on the 19th March, aimed at improving the competitiveness of the Agro-food industry. Initiatives agreed include:

  • improving the transparency of the fixing of prices and contractual arrangements along the food supply chain;
  • establishing a market surveillance mechanism of counterfeiting;
  • a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) to assess the position of the European agro-food industry in the global market;
  • establishing a Sustainable Consumption and Production food Roundtable;
  • simplification of the administrative procedures, particularly for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), for participation in research funding programmes;
  • developing educational programmes which raise awareness of the importance of the agro-food industry;
  • setting up a European Forum to discuss the improvement of commercial relations among the players of the food chain, with the aim to adopt an EU wide code of conduct;
  • launching a study on the effects of retailers' own brands on the competitiveness of the agro-food industry, in particular on SMEs;
  • promotion of the instruments available for SMEs, e.g. Enterprise Europe Network;

Full details of the agreed recommendations and Roadmap are available from the Commission website.

The HLG was created in April 2008 to consider issues that will determine the future competitiveness in the agro-food industry and to formulate sector-specific policy recommendations for Community and National policy makers to enhance competitiveness.  The Group comprises four EU Commissioners, Ministerial representatives from eight Member States, representatives from thirteen major agro-food industry companies and representatives from civil society and professional associations.

We welcome the work of the HLG and we look forward to working with the Commission and stakeholders in taking forward the overall Roadmap which provides a platform on which to help build a more competitive and sustainable agro-food industry which is responsive to consumer demands.

Page last modified: 21 July 2009
Page published: 21 July 2009