Copa-Cogeca has endorsed a French-Italian-Spanish drive to discuss new European Union measures to support member countries' fruit and vegetable industries.
Speaking at a meeting with the Polish EU presidency, Copa president Gerd Sonnleitner said that recurring crises in the fresh produce sector – made worse by this year's E coli outbreak – meant the EU's existing Common Agricultural Policy was insufficient to overcome the problems facing farmers and cooperatives.
Cogeca president Paolo Bruni advised that producer organisations must be allowed to take stronger positions in the food chain in order to ensure better returns from the market.
Bruni also suggested creating a European market observatory that would make transparent information on supply, demand, price setting and production costs.
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