The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development informs that it has displayed on its website, in the "Decisional Transparency" section, a draft Emergency Ordinance, which proposes to limit the commercial additions practiced in the processing and marketing of essential food products, with the aim of stopping the growing prices for these product categories.

According to the provisions of the normative act, for a period of 3 months, the commercial surcharge rates for the food products provided in the annex to the normative act will be limited as follows:

maximum 20% at the processor, applied to the production cost of the product, calculated according to the accounting regulations in force, in which direct and indirect expenses are included

a maximum of 5% applied cumulatively to the entire distribution chain, regardless of the number of distributors in the chain and applied to the purchase price, to which operational expenses are added

maximum 20% at the merchant, at retail and cash&carry, applied to the purchase price to which the merchant's direct and indirect expenses are added; discounts and refunds, provided in art. 3 point 6 of Law no. 81/2022 on unfair commercial practices between businesses in the agricultural and food supply chain.

The list of foods that will benefit from the provisions of this normative act, discussed and agreed with all parties involved in food production and trade, provided in the Annex to the emergency ordinance, includes:

- simple white bread 300 - 500 grams, without specialties; - fresh cow's milk 1.5% fat, 1l; - bulk cow telemea cheese; - plain yogurt from cow's milk, fat 3.5%, max. 200 gr.; - white wheat flour "000" 1 kg; - millet 1 kg; - chicken eggs caliber M 10 pcs.; - sunflower oil 1 l; - fresh chicken meat: whole chicken, chicken cutlery, whole chicken thighs with bone, chicken wings; - fresh pork: working meat, pork leg with and without bone, pork loin; - fresh bulk vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, yellow onions, dry beans, carrots, bell peppers, capsicums; - fresh fruit in bulk: red and golden apples, plums, watermelon, table grapes; - fresh white potatoes in bulk; - caster white sugar 1 kg.

The proposals of the normative act are the result of the dialogue started by the Government of Romania with the representatives of the Association of Large Retail Networks in Romania and those of the representative federations in the field of food processing.

The draft Emergency Ordinance can be consulted at the following link: https://www.madr.ro/proiecte-de-acte-normative/8326-proiect-oug-combatere-crestere-excesiva-preturi-produse-agricole-si- food.html