New regulatory framework for transparency and equality in food and agricultural product supplies

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food has published for public discussion a draft law that creates a new regulatory framework for the agricultural and food supply chain. The law aims to ensure transparency, traceability, and fairness in the relations between the participants.

It is envisaged to create a special legal regulation of contracts for the purchase of agricultural products and to define the status of the first buyers. A mandatory written form of these contracts and a minimum mandatory content are introduced.

With regard to transactions with certain categories of agricultural products and foods, maximum trade markups are introduced for processors, wholesalers and retailers with a turnover of over 20 million BGN. Specific requirements for assortment are also introduced, ensuring the offering of foods from Bulgarian producers.

The creation of an electronic system for tracing the supply chain to the Ministry of Economy and an Observatory to the Council of Ministers is envisaged.

The main goal of the bill is to comprehensively improve the functioning of the supply chain, reduce the imbalance between the participants, and ensure transparency, traceability, and fairness in negotiation and distribution of added value.