Summary of newsmakers of the previous day - 10. 04. 2007

Gandalovič´s standpoint to proposal of amendment of act on protection of competition

The Minister of Agriculture Petr Gandalovič sees a way to improvement in position of basic industry and processors in negotiation with all players on the market as well as in further education and upbringing of consumers, not in introduction of other regulation measures. Therefore he will not support parliamentary proposal of law on protection of competition which Czech government is about to discuss tomorrow. In the proposal a group of representatives wants to anchor a new term misuse of economic dependence and thereby to protect basic industry and processors against practices of retail chains. In the minister´s opinion it will not work. „Already in the past there was an effort to solve the economic dependence in frame of the chain basic industry-processor-trademan, last time with a parliamentary proposal of amendement of act which the Senat did not passed a year ago and finally also the President of the republic refused to sign it. Nor adopted adjustments reached intended effect as in case of the amendment of act on proces“, the Minister Petr Gandalovič reminded.

Gandalovič´s standpoint to parliamentary proposal to remit loans to wine-growers

The Minister Gandalovič will not support the parliamentary proposal of amendment of act on wine-growing and viniculture at the government negotiation. Táňa Králová, a spokeswoman of the Ministry stated it today. A group of mainly social-democratic representatives try in this way to adjust conditions of provision of help for outplanting and renewal of wineyeards before our joining the European Union. It suggest to change a returnable support provided by the Wine-grower Fund to non-returnable one. According to a spokeswoman, the minister Gandalovič has many reasons for its disapproving attitude. „This additional change of conditions would be unfair towards those who decided to use the second way of help in outplanting and renewal of wineyards, so the non-returnable subsidies from the Ministry of Agriculture“, Gandalovič reported.

Popularity of biofoods increases in CR; also discounts will sell them

The Czechs spend still more and more money for biofoods offer of which enlarges in inland shops despite of higher price of these products. Foods in bio-quality will be sold in the Czech Republic even also discount shops which have been oriented till this time mainly on a low price of offered good. According to estimation of the agency Green marketing the turnover of Czech biofood market can more than triple during four years roughly to 2,5 milliard crowns in 2010. Biofoods in the Czech Republic have been offered till the present first of all by hypermarkets and supermarkets on which almost two thirds of sale of biofoods fall. Approximately one third of biofoods is sold in bio-shops and shops with healthy food, and a direct sale from farms shares only in about two percents.

Czech Republic refuses penalty for over-limit reserves

The European Commission has approved a document according to which the Czech Republic should pay a penalty 12 288 million Euros for alleged over-limit reserves of agricultural and food products. The CR is said to accumulate the over-limit reserves before its joining the European Union. New member states should pay in total 41,1 million Euros as the penalty for over-limit reserves. From all afflicted countries Polans should pay the highest penlty (12,451 milionu eur), the Czech Republic is on the second place. Payments should be staggered by the year 2010; the first one should have been paid by the end of May this year.

Source: Agris, 11.4.2007