Brussels, December 2025 — The European Commission has opened (5 December) a public consultation on proposals to revise the EU’s business-to-business unfair trading practices (UTPs) framework in the agricultural and food supply chain, aiming to strengthen protections for farmers and smaller suppliers against powerful buyers.
The initiative, linked to ongoing work on updating the 2019 UTP Directive, seeks input on how current rules — designed to outlaw abusive practices that exploit bargaining power imbalances — can be improved to reflect developments in cross-border agri-food markets and enforcement needs.
Unfair trading practices in B2B relationships, such as unilateral contract changes and late payments, have long been recognised as a problem for smaller producers selling into supply chains dominated by large processors and retailers, as reported. The consultation will help shape potential updates to EU law or enforcement approaches ahead of expected legislative moves to enhance transparency and cross-border cooperation.
