Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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919. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he plans to publish the statutory instrument to implement the EU unfair trading practices directive; the public consultation process that will be conducted before the adoption of the statutory instrument; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4445/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Directive (EU) No. 2019/633 on unfair trading practices in business-to-business relationships in the agricultural and food supply chain (UTP Directive) must be transposed into Irish law by 1 May 2021. Department officials are currently drafting a proposal for a Statutory Instrument to directly transpose the UTP Directive as it stands. This will be finalised before the 1st May deadline and published accordingly.

A public consultation process was held in late 2019 which invited submissions from interested parties on the transposition and enforcement of the UTP Directive. Over 600 responses were received at that time.

The inclusion of any measures that extend beyond the minimum harmonisation requirements of the UTP Directive would require primary legislation. Further consideration is being given to the need for such additional powers during the process of implementation of the Programme for Government commitment to establish a new authority called the National Food Ombudsman (NFO). The legal and operational matters associated with this commitment are currently being assessed.