Unfair commercial practices – New law, stricter penalties

A new, stricter legal framework for market controls, especially for PDO / PGI products, was announced by the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Mr. Spilios Livanos, in an interview on SKAI radio.

“We want to crack down on unfair trade practices, we want to crack down on illegal Hellenizations and illegal actions in the processing of our raw materials. We want to protect the PDO products and the consumers and through this framework to form better prices for our producers,” Mr. Livanos emphasized characteristically.

For the above reasons, as he explained, because the legal framework does not allow very large fines, “we are changing it with ministerial decisions and a new law that we will bring in the fall. In this way we protect the producers, the breeders. We want to strengthen livestock in Greece and especially sheep and goat farming, which is our powerful weapon. In this way we ensure the product and the PDO and the reputation of the country for both the producers and the consumers.”

With the new law there will be an increase in fines, but also the publication of the names of offenders so that the consumer knows and is protected.

Infrastructure program for irrigation projects

In terms of EU funding, Mr. Livanos described the ministry’s policy as forward-looking and noted that for the next seven years the Ministry of Regional Development has at its disposal 22 billion euros from the CAP and the Recovery Fund that will be allocated to the primary processing of primary sector products and infrastructure.

“We are promoting a huge infrastructure program for irrigation projects and dams, the scope of which has not been seen since the 1950s and 1960s. Agricultural production without water is impossible. We have 1 billion for new projects and 500 million for ongoing projects. So we are talking about a mammoth land improvement project. I recently announced land improvement projects in Xanthi and Didymoteicho. We will irrigate thousands of acres and give life to the farmers,” said Mr. Livanos.

The Ministry of Regional Development also announced that a bill that simplifies the procedures for the legalization of stables and stable installations will be put to public consultation soon. Referring to the interventions of the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure to reduce production costs, he reminded the extension of the photovoltaic installation license from 100 KW to 500 KW for producers. “We are setting up a framework, on the one hand with the controls and on the other with the financial tools we provide (Improvement Plans, support for Young Farmers, and general programs that will strengthen sheep and goat farming), so that new people can enter production. So to increase Greek production and reduce imports. ”

Kedikoglou and Benos to visit Evia in the following days

Regarding the fire victims of Evia, Mr. Livanos detailed the measures announced by the government and the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure to support and alleviate the victims, in the first phase, while emphasizing that there is an ongoing program to cover the fire producers perennial crops, and there is a collaboration with the Vassilis Costakopoulos Foundation to shape the framework for the next day.

As announced in the coming days, Deputy Minister Mr. Simos Kedikoglou and Mr. Stavros Benos will be in Evia preparing the interventions that must be made. He also reminded that the level of the Ministry of Regional Development, under the Secretary General K. Baginetas, before the fires were extinguished, were in the areas that were burned, giving fodder and information leaflets about the measures that had been taken. He also said that the controls of agricultural compensation organization ELGA will form the framework for the next payments of compensations, reminding how what is not covered by ELGA will be included in the aid package. Compensation will be given within the year.

“Through this category we understand that both beekeepers and resin producers, stockbreeders, hunters and licensed loggers are the ones who guard the forest. So in the new design these people have to play a leading role and be involved in the prevention design. We must support them “, stressed Mr. Livanos.