Code of Practice has been signed

The two leading organisations representing the European home improvement and garden centre industry, European Federation of DIY Manufacturers (Fediyma) and European DIY-Retail Association (EDRA), have agreed on a common Code of Practice which will prevent unfair trading practices in the supply chain. Both association presidents, Reinhard Wolff (Fediyma) and Régis Degelcke signed the agreement on Wednesday, 8 October 2014 in Brussels. The Code is based upon a set of eight core principles which uphold fair trade cooperation, long term relationships, mutual understanding and respect within the industry. A governance group is responsible for ensuring its correct implementation. This agreement is a result of the launch of an EU Green Paper on Unfair Trading Practices from 2013. The European Parliament had expressed deep concerns about the conditions in the food industry, and were afraid that productivity could suffer and that small businesses could be in jeopardy. However, this newly adopted Code of Practice demonstrates “that the home improvement is different to grocery retailing”, said Régis Degelcke. “The success of our sector is based on strong, long term relationships built up with our suppliers over decades”. For Reinhard Wolff this agreement means “the beginning of an even closer relationship within our supply chain, which will reap benefits for our businesses, employees and customers for years to come.