Minimum quotas for the country's foodstuffs

^{Czech Republic}

(24 January 2021)  According to the Czech Food Act, the supply to grocery shops of a certain size will have to consist of 55% of domestically produced food from 2022 onwards. By 2028, the share of these products is to be gradually increased to 73%.

This law aims to support national agriculture. Czech Agriculture Minister Miroslaw Toman has urged members of the Lower House to be a little nationalist. A large majority of the Lower House voted in favour of this protectionist law. The decision of the Senate in Prague has not yet been announced.

The European Commission has warned of a possible violation of the EU's internal market. The free movement of goods is one of the pillars of the EU, a European Commission spokeswoman stressed. While the commission also wishes to support local production, this should not lead to discrimination against producers further afield, the spokesperson said. Therefore, the European Commission will closely monitor the situation in the Czech Republic and take action if necessary to remedy the situation.

Source: www.schweizerbauer.ch du 24/01/2021

(Translation «Swiss Standpoint»)