Independent Retail Europe (formerly UGAL - Union of Groups of Independent Retailers of Europe)

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Registration as it was on 29 Jan 2024
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Overview

Lobbying Costs

600,000€ - 699,999€

Financial year: Jan 2023 - Dec 2023

Lobbyists (Full time equivalent)

5 Fte (5)

Lobbyists with EP accreditation

4

High-level Commission meetings

23

Lobbying Costs over the years

  • Info

    Independent Retail Europe (formerly UGAL - Union of Groups of Independent Retailers of Europe)

    EU Transparency Register

    034546859-02 First registered on 25 Jun 2008

    Goals / Remit

    Established in 1963, Independent Retail Europe is the European trade association of groups of independent retailers in all food & non-food sectors. The organisation represents retail groups characterised by joint purchasing of goods and services to attain efficiencies and economies of scale, a support network to independent SME retail entrepreneurs, as well as respect for the independent character of the individual retailer. Most groups operate under 1 brand. The majority of our groups have a cooperative or similar format whereby – different from franchises – the retailers are the main shareholders & play a major role in the group’s activities and strategy, whilst remaining fully independent retailers. Groups of independent retailers constitute a large part of the retail market, as much as 30% in certain Western European countries. Members are groups of independent retailers & national associations thereof as well as other types of organisations set up to support independent retailers.

    Main EU files targeted

    Due to their structure – a supporting group and individual SME member retailers – legislation can affect groups of independent retailers differently than integrated business models. To ensure that both the wholesale groups and their hundreds of thousands of independent retailer members can remain competitive in the on- and offline market, we ensure that EU policy and legislation do not constitute a disproportionate or unnecessary burden for this business model.
    COMPETITION RULES – The central (wholesale) organisations of the groups act at a different economic level of the chain than their SME member retailers, vertical agreements between these organisations and their retailers are indispensable to their functioning. These agreements concern e.g. information exchange, joint purchasing & commercialisation and standardisation. Their pro-competitive effects benefit consumers. On a horizontal level, the retailers are independent entrepreneurs and competitors in the same catchment area. Due to this, agreements in groups of independent retailers are subject to the Vertical Block Exemption Regulation and Guidelines, and the Guidelines on Horizontal Agreements. This has a disproportionate negative impact on their competitiveness, particularly in a digital market, in comparison to their main competitors, integrated retail chains, whose internal activities are not limited by these rules. We seek a fairer treatment of group structures under competition rules to heighten competition and consumer benefit. Issues: VBER, the VGL & HGL, single-price platforms, selective distribution, dual distribution, dual pricing, joint purchasing, alliances, territorial supply constraints, market definition, DMA…
    DIGITAL AND SINGLE MARKET STRATEGY – Our members are multi-channel retailers. We seek to ensure that EU policy respects a level playing field for all retail channels and that our groups can efficiently operate on- and offline, and are able to compete on fair terms. Due to their business model, the websites of groups of independent retailers are by nature platforms. These closed platforms of EU-based member retailers present no more risk to consumers than their brick and mortar stores. Issues: Single Market Act, DMA, product liability, consumer protection online, payment systems, digital Euro, VAT, cybersecurity, AI…
    SUSTAINABILITY –Sustainability legislation needs to be practicable, effective and efficient. Sustainability has a cost; any unnecessary and disproportionate burdens and costs should be avoided. Where possible, burdens should be borne at group level of our businesses, in line with the logic of their cooperative business model. Issues: due diligence, non-financial reporting, circular economy, Farm to Fork Strategy, energy efficiency, eco & energy labelling, waste (food waste, PPWR, EPR)…
    INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY/RETAIL ECOSYSTEM – Groups of independent retailers constitute a large part of the retail market, as much as 30% in certain Western European countries. We seek to ensure that the strategy benefits and reflects the needs of groups of independent retailers and consumers. Issues: recovery and digital & sustainable transition, diverse retail market, healthy cities & rural areas, SME strategy, SME financing, entrepreneurship, skills & jobs, B2B trading practices, supply chain transparency…
    CONSUMER PROTECTION – Our members are committed to ensuring consumer protection and health. This is essential for their close relationships with customers and their reputation. We seek clear, understandable rules that can be easily implemented and do not constitute unnecessary burdens on SME retailers. Issues: product safety & liability, labelling (ecolabelling, energy labelling, NutriScore, green claims…), healthy food, packaging, consumer contracts, right to repair…

    Address

    Head Office
    Avenue des Gaulois 3
    Bruxelles 1040 - 3
    BELGIUM
    EU Office
    Avenue des Gaulois 3
    Bruxelles 1040 - 3
    BELGIUM

    Website

    https://independentretaileurope.eu/en

  • People

    Total lobbyists declared

    5

    Employment timeLobbyists
    100%5

    Lobbyists (Full time equivalent)

    5

    Lobbyists with EP accreditation

    All Lobbyists with EP accreditation over time

    4 accreditations were / are live (in bold) for the selected state of 26 Apr 2024

    Name Start date End Date
    Andrea SCHIERBAUM 23 Jan 2024 17 Jan 2025
    Maria Margarida BOTA DE MELO PINTO NOGUEIRA 10 Jan 2024 09 Jan 2025
    Romanos ANTONOPOULOS 21 Sep 2023 19 Sep 2024
    Alexis WARAVKA 08 Jul 2023 05 Jul 2024
    Ms Andrea SCHIERBAUM 23 Jan 2024 15 Apr 2024
    Ms Maria Margarida BOTA DE MELO PINTO NOGUEIRA 10 Jan 2024 15 Apr 2024
    Mr Romanos ANTONOPOULOS 21 Sep 2023 15 Apr 2024
    Mr Alexis WARAVKA 08 Jul 2023 15 Apr 2024
    Ms Else GROEN 23 Feb 2023 11 Mar 2024
    Mr Alexis WARAVKA 26 Aug 2022 08 Jul 2023
    Ms Sophia KRUGEL 23 Aug 2022 07 Jul 2023
    Mr Julius LORENZEN 20 Aug 2022 03 Jul 2023
    Ms Sophia KRUGEL 02 Sep 2021 23 Aug 2022
    Mr Alexis WARAVKA 25 Aug 2021 25 Aug 2022
    Mr Julius LORENZEN 25 Aug 2021 20 Aug 2022
    Ms Elisabeth FREIIN VON REITZENSTEIN 10 Jan 2020 07 Oct 2020
    Mr Ravi BHATIANI 23 Jan 2019 14 Jul 2019
    Ms Elisabeth FREIIN VON REITZENSTEIN 23 Jan 2019 10 Jan 2020
    Ms Ariane CARRÉ 23 Jan 2019 05 Jan 2020
    Mr Ravi BHATIANI 30 Jan 2018 23 Jan 2019
    Ms Elisabeth FREIIN VON REITZENSTEIN 30 Jan 2018 23 Jan 2019
    Ms Ariane CARRÉ 30 Jan 2018 23 Jan 2019
    Ms Laurence DESSOUROUX 30 Jan 2018 30 Jan 2019
    Mr Ravi BHATIANI 02 Feb 2017 30 Jan 2018
    Ms Elisabeth FREIIN VON REITZENSTEIN 02 Feb 2017 30 Jan 2018
    Ms Ariane CARRÉ 02 Feb 2017 30 Jan 2018
    Ms Laurence DESSOUROUX 02 Feb 2017 30 Jan 2018
    Ms Laurence DESSOUROUX 23 Feb 2016 03 Feb 2017
    Mr Ravi BHATIANI 12 Feb 2016 03 Feb 2017
    Ms Elisabeth FREIIN VON REITZENSTEIN 12 Feb 2016 03 Feb 2017
    Ms Ariane CARRÉ 12 Feb 2016 03 Feb 2017
    Ms Else GROEN 05 Jun 2015 03 Jun 2016
    Mr Ravi BHATIANI 11 Feb 2015 04 Feb 2016
    Ms Elisabeth FREIIN VON REITZENSTEIN 11 Feb 2015 06 Feb 2016
    Ms Ariane CARRÉ 11 Feb 2015 05 Feb 2016
    Ms Elisabeth FREIIN VON REITZENSTEIN 12 Mar 2014 12 Feb 2015
    Mr Ravi BHATIANI 11 Mar 2014 12 Feb 2015
    Ms Ariane CARRÉ 11 Mar 2014 12 Feb 2015
    Ms Ariane CARRÉ 24 Apr 2013 11 Mar 2014
    Mr Ravi BHATIANI 23 Apr 2013 11 Mar 2014
    Ms Elisabeth FREIIN VON REITZENSTEIN 23 Apr 2013 12 Mar 2014
    Mr Ravi BHATIANI 17 Jul 2012 23 Apr 2013
    Ms Ariane CARRÉ 17 Jul 2012 23 Apr 2013
    Ms Elisabeth FREIIN VON REITZENSTEIN 17 Jul 2012 23 Apr 2013
    Mr Denis LABATUT 30 Sep 2011 08 Jul 2012

    Complementary Information

    None declared

    Person in charge of EU relations

    Data not provided by Register Secretariat due to GDPR

    Person with legal responsibility

    Data not provided by Register Secretariat due to GDPR

  • Categories

    Category

    Trade and business associations

  • Networking

    Affiliation

    Liaison committee of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Business and Marketing Practices in the Food Supply Chain

    Member organisations

    None declared

  • Financial Data

    Interests represented

    Promotes their own interests or the collective interests of their members

    Closed financial year

    Jan 2023 - Dec 2023

    Lobbying costs for closed financial year

    600,000€ - 699,999€

    Major contributions in closed year

    None declared

    Intermediaries for closed year

    None declared

    Intermediaries for current year

    None declared

    Closed year Costs

    600,000€ - 699,999€

    Other financial info

    None declared

  • EU Structures

    Groups (European Commission)

    Consumer Policy Advisory Group#E03750#https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/expert-groups/consult?lang=en&groupID=3750 #Member #C#SMEs#Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Consultation Forum#X03609#https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/expert-groups/consult?lang=en&groupID=3609 #Member #C#Industry, SMEs#Expert Group on the European Food Security Crisis Preparedness and Response Mechanism#E03829#https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/expert-groups/consult?lang=en&groupID=3829 #Member #C#Industry, SMEs#Advisory Group on Sustainability of Food Systems#E03832#https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/expert-groups/consult?lang=en&groupID=3832 #Member #C#Industry, SMEs#Animal Health Advisory Comittee#Working Group on Plant Health#Working Group on Seeds and Propagating Material#EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste#E03421#https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/expert-groups/consult?lang=en&groupID=3421 #Member #C#SMEs, Other#Date marking and food waste prevention sub-group#Expert Group on B2B data sharing and cloud computing contracts#E03840#https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/expert-groups/consult?lang=en&groupID=3840 #Not a member #C#Industry, SMEs#Expert Group on B2B data sharing and cloud computing contracts / Sub-group - stakeholders

    Groups (European Parliament)

    N/A

    Communication activities

    Independent Retail Europe frequently comments on policy issues on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/independent-retail-europe) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/inderetaileu).
    Our website https://IndependentRetailEurope.eu/en contains a selection of our position papers. For positions on other issues, please contact us.
    We organise interactive events with stakeholders and policy makers entitled “Independent Retail Europe Policy Platform”, bringing together policy makers and independent retailers and their groups to exchange on specific policy issues of concern and interest.
    We organise, together with other European retail associations, the European Retail Day.

    Other activities

    We seek to become a member of the SME intergroup.

  • Meetings

    Meetings

    23 meetings found. Download meetings

    The list below only covers meetings held since November 2014 with commissioners, their cabinet members or directors-general at the European Commission; other lobby meetings with lower-level staff may have taken place, but the European Commission doesn't proactively publish information about these meetings. For more information about which commissioner is responsible for which portfolio, check out this link: https://commissioners.ec.europa.eu/index_en All information below comes from European Commission web pages.

    • Date 02 Dec 2020 Location Brussels
      Subject Digital Markets Act
      Cabinet Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager
      Portfolio Europe Fit for Digital Age
      Attending
      • Werner Stengg (Cabinet member)
    • Date 21 Apr 2020 Location Videoconference
      Subject economic impact of COVID-19 on the retail sector
      Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Thierry Breton
      Portfolio Internal Market
      Attending
      • Thierry Breton (Commissioner)
      • Pauline Weinzierl (Cabinet member)
      Other Lobbyists
    • Date 09 Apr 2018 Location Brussels, Belgium
      Subject New deal for consumers – dual quality
      Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Věra Jourová
      Portfolio Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality
      Attending
      • Eduard Hulicius (Cabinet member)
    • Date 22 Mar 2018 Location Brussels
      Subject unfair trading practices, relations with third countries
      Cabinet Cabinet of Vice-President Cecilia Malmström
      Portfolio Trade
      Attending
      • Nele Eichhorn (Cabinet member)
    • Date 22 Feb 2018 Location Brussels
      Subject Exchange of views on CCTB/CCCTB proposal and Digital taxation
      Cabinet Cabinet of Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis
      Portfolio Euro and Social Dialogue, also in charge of Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union
      Attending
      • Gints Freimanis (Cabinet member)
    • Date 27 Nov 2017 Location Brussels
      Subject Digital / Agricultural
      Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Mariya Gabriel
      Portfolio Digital Economy and Society
      Attending
      • Carl-Christian Buhr (Cabinet member)
    • Date 16 Nov 2017 Location Brussels
      Subject Food waste, Food chain initiative
      Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis
      Portfolio Health &amp; Food Safety
      Attending
      • Marco Valletta (Cabinet member)
    • Date 22 May 2017 Location Brussels, BERL
      Subject the supply chain initiative, as well as unfair trading practices
      Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan
      Portfolio Agriculture &amp; Rural Development
      Attending
      • Elisabetta Siracusa (Cabinet member)
    • Date 09 Mar 2017 Location Brussels
      Subject Current business practices in the retail sector
      Cabinet Cabinet of Vice-President Jyrki Katainen
      Portfolio Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness
      Attending
      • Filomena Chirico (Cabinet member)
    • Date 01 Mar 2017 Location Brussels
      Subject Unfair trading practices
      Cabinet Cabinet of President Jean-Claude Juncker
      Portfolio President
      Attending
      • Paulina Dejmek Hack (Cabinet member)
    • Date 25 Aug 2016 Location Brussels
      Subject competition related e-commerce developments and competition in the food supply chain
      Cabinet Cabinet of President Jean-Claude Juncker
      Portfolio President
      Attending
      • Paulina Dejmek Hack (Cabinet member)
    • Date 24 Aug 2016 Location Brussels
      Subject Supply Chain Initiative
      Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan
      Portfolio Agriculture &amp; Rural Development
      Attending
      • Christiane Canenbley (Cabinet member)
    • Date 15 Jan 2016 Location Brussels
      Subject Supply Chain Initiative
      Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska
      Portfolio Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs
      Attending
      • Rolf Carsten Bermig (Cabinet member)
    • Date 24 Nov 2015 Location Brussels
      Subject Single Market Strategy
      Cabinet Cabinet of Vice-President Jyrki Katainen
      Portfolio Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness
      Attending
      • Juho Romakkaniemi (Cabinet member)
    • Date 20 Nov 2015 Location Brussels
      Subject Issues of interest for the European Retail sector
      Cabinet Cabinet of President Jean-Claude Juncker
      Portfolio President
      Attending
      • Paulina Dejmek Hack (Cabinet member)
    • Date 22 Oct 2015 Location Brussels, Belgium
      Subject Latest development on food chain policy after President Juncker's SoU
      Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan
      Portfolio Agriculture &amp; Rural Development
      Attending
      • Carl-Christian Buhr (Cabinet member)
    • Date 25 Sep 2015 Location Brussels, Belgium
      Subject corporate taxation (CCCTB), country-by-country reporting (CBCR) and value added tax (VAT)
      Cabinet Cabinet of Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis
      Portfolio Euro and Social Dialogue, also in charge of Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union
      Attending
      • Jan Ceyssens (Cabinet member)
    • Date 07 Jul 2015 Location Brussels
      Subject Platforms & geo-blocking
      Cabinet Cabinet of Vice-President Andrus Ansip
      Portfolio Digital Single Market
      Attending
      • Jasmin Battista (Cabinet member)
      • Kamila Kloc (Cabinet member)
    • Date 04 Jun 2015 Location Berlaymont, Brussels
      Subject Better Regulation
      Cabinet Cabinet of First Vice-President Frans Timmermans
      Portfolio Better Regulation, Interinstitutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights
      Attending
      • Michelle Sutton (Cabinet member)
    • Date 28 Apr 2015 Location Brussels, Belgium
      Subject Eu plans on tax transparency and corporate taxation, reverse charge on VAT
      Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Pierre Moscovici
      Portfolio Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs
      Attending
      • Maria Elena Scoppio (Cabinet member)
    • Date 17 Mar 2015 Location Brussels
      Subject Digital Single Market
      DG Günther Oettinger
      Attending
      • Markus Schulte (Cabinet member)
    • Date 25 Feb 2015 Location Brussels, Belgium
      Subject Presentation by IRE of its organisation and members. Presentation of its work in and views about the Supply Chain Initiative and its future
      Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan
      Portfolio Agriculture &amp; Rural Development
      Attending
      • Carl-Christian Buhr (Cabinet member)
    • Date 18 Feb 2015 Location Berlaymont, Brussels
      Subject Introductory meeting
      Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska
      Portfolio Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs
      Attending
      • Agnieszka Drzewoska (Cabinet member)
      • Kaius Kristian Hedberg (Cabinet member)
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