Act on Strengthening Organisations and Supply Chains in the Agriculture Sector.

The Act provides for regulations on activity of the organisations and associations with regard to agricultural products, ban on cartels for agricultural organisations, prohibition on unfair trading practices in relations between buyers and suppliers in the food supply chain and the structuring contractual relationship between breeders and processors of agricultural products. The Federal Agency for Agriculture and Nutrition is the responsible body for enforcement of this Act and for implementing relevant regulations and ordinances. The Law provides for regulations on requirements for agriculture certificate, fishing license and recognition of the agricultural organisation. The Federal Ministry is in charge to observe agricultural organisations complying with the antitrust provisions and the competition restrictions. The Act provides for obligations on implementing EU regulations regarding market balance in light of implementing provisions of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The Act provides for registration of agricultural organisations, notifications and publications of data. With regard to contractual framework for sale of agricultural, fishery and food products by suppliers and buyers, the Act provides provision on payment deadlines, returning unsold products, termination of the contract, storage of products and unilateral contract amendment. The Act prohibits exploitation of the economic inequality between the buyer and supplier through unfair trading practices. The Act further provides provision on confidential treatment of the information, alternative dispute settlement and powers of the enforcement authority. The Act also provides for legal and administrative processes, principles of investigations and remedial actions in case of violation of the rights and obligations. The Act is consists of 4 Parts and 59 Articles as: Scope and definition (1); Agricultural organisations (2); Business relationships in the grocery supply chain covering issues of unfair trade practices in the food supply chain and contractual relationship (3); Warnings, sanctions, ordinance authorisations, transitional regulations and evaluation (4).