EN    EN  
 EUROPEAN  
COMMISSION 
Brussels, 31.1.2013  
COM(2013) 36 final 
  
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 
SETTING UP A EUROPEAN RETAIL ACTION PLAN 
(Text with EEA relevance) 
 
 
2 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS 
1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 3  
2. ACHIEVING A SINGLE MARKET IN RETAIL ...................................................... 4  
2.1 Change in the Retail Sector.......................................................................................... 5  
2.2 The Retail Sector Faces Multiple Challenges .............................................................. 5  
2.3 A Retail Single Market for the Benefit of All Actors .................................................. 5  
3. FIVE KEY DRIVERS FOR MORE COMPETITIVE AND SUSTAINABLE 
RETAIL SERVICES.................................................................................................... 6  
3.1 Consumer empowerment ............................................................................................. 7  
3.1.1  Consumer Information ................................................................................................. 7  
3.1.2  More Sustainable Consumer Choices .......................................................................... 8  
3.2 Access to More Competitive Retail Services............................................................... 8  
3.2.1  Commercial Establishment .......................................................................................... 9  
3.2.2  E-commerce ............................................................................................................... 10  
3.3 Developing a More Balanced Business- to-Business Food and Non-Food Supply 
Chain .......................................................................................................................... 11 
3.3.1  Addressing UTPs ....................................................................................................... 12  
3.4 Developing a More Sustaina ble Retail Supply Chain................................................ 12  
3.4.1  More Sustainable Production and Consumption........................................................ 12  
3.4.2  Reducing Food Waste ................................................................................................ 13  
3.5 Developing More Innovative Solutions ..................................................................... 13  
3.5.1  Product Labelling....................................................................................................... 14  
3.5.2  Electronic Payments................................................................................................... 15  
3.6 Creating a Better Working Environment ................................................................... 16  
3.6.1  Skills-Needs Mismatch .............................................................................................. 17  
3.6.2  Informal Economy ..................................................................................................... 18  
3.7 International Dimension............................................................................................. 19  
4. CONCLUSION: CONTINUOUS DIALOGUE  WITH THE RETAIL SECTOR .... 19  
 
3 
  1. INTRODUCTION 
Retail and wholesale services, also know n as distributive trades, represent 11  % of the EU’s 
GDP and account for almost 15  % of the EU’s total employment. More than 6 million 
companies, i.e., 29% of all EU undertakings, are active in this sector. The retail sector is 
characterised by a very high share of SMEs, pa rticularly micro companies (more than 95%)1. 
Retail and wholesale are closely linked to each ot her, and to other economic sectors such as 
agriculture, manufacturi ng, IT services, energy, logistics and transport2. These sectors are 
becoming more and more integrated, and the di stinction among them is increasingly blurred, 
as some retailers are now acting also as  wholesalers, or even manufacturers. 
The retail and wholesale sectors have an essentia l role to play in stimulating growth and job 
creation under the Europe 2020 st rategy: they are among the key sectors that can drive the 
transition to both a more sustainable economy a nd consumption patterns. Efficiency in this 
sector has implications for competition, i nnovation, price trends a nd competitiveness. 
Retailers play an important role in bringing the Single Market to the EU's consumers. 
However, barriers remain that hamper the creation of an efficient and competitive Single Market in Retail. According to the Consum er Conditions Scoreboard of May 2012, the EU 
Retail Single Market is “still far from being fully integrated”
3. There are also various barriers 
that hinder processes such as cross-border sour cing or market entry by retailers themselves. 
Obstacles to the development of the Single Mark et in Retail have been identified in the 
Commission’s Retail Market Monitoring Report4, the European Parliament Report ‘Towards 
a more efficient and fair retail sector’5 and the workshops6 organised by the Commission 
during the preparation of this Action Plan. While the Services Directive7 and its follow-up 
measures8 define a general strategy in the field of services, this Action Plan specifically 
targets the retail and wholesale sector. It pr ovides a roadmap towards a Single Market in 
Retail. 
The bottlenecks identified in the retail sector - often cutting across vari ous policy areas - need 
to be addressed through a cohe rent plan to enhance the s ector's economic, social and 
environmental performance, and to  ensure that it fully contribut es to the goals of the Europe 
2020 Strategy. As already identified in the context of the Country Specific Recommendations 
                                                                 
1 Source: Eurostat SBS (2010). 
2 This Action Plan covers all distributive trades (S ection G of the NACE Rev 2 classification: NACE), 
including automotive, wholesale and retail trade. Therefore, the title "Retail Action Plan" is intended to 
have a wider scope than "retail" stricto sensu . 
3  http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/consumer_resear ch/editions/docs/7th_edition_scoreboard_en.pdf   
4 Retail market monitoring report, ‘Towards more efficient and fairer retail services in the internal 
market for 2020’  (COM(2010) 355 final, of 5 July 2010). 
5 European Parliament resolution of 5 July 2011 on a more efficient and fairer retail market 
(2010/2109(INI)). 
6 Organised during the first quarter of 2012 with repr esentatives of the main stakeholders in the retail 
supply chain (summaries of th e meetings are available at 
http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/retail/index_en.htm ). 
7 Directive 2006/123/EC of the European Parliame nt and of the Council of 12 December 2006 on 
services in the internal market (OJ No  L 376 of 27 December 2006, p. 36.) 
8 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European and 
Economic Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the implementation of the Services 
Directive: “ A partnership for new growth in services 2012-2015” (COM(2012) 261final of 8 June 
2012); and Staff Working Documents (2012)146 final, 147 final and 148 final of 8 June 2012. 
 
4 
 (CSRs) issued by the Council in July 2012, two ma jor challenges exist in the EU retail sector: 
(i) restrictions on establishment; and more genera lly, (ii) lack of compet itiveness in the retail 
sector, in particular in some Member Stat es, and a need to lower barriers and reduce 
operational restrictions. 
This Action Plan aims at addressing the above -mentioned key obstacles  to achieving a Single 
Market in Retail by setting out a strategy to improve the competitiveness of the retail sector 
and enhance the sector’s economic, environmental and social performance. Its strategic goals 
cannot be met, however, simply by top- down measures, but will require the active 
collaboration and initia tive of the retail sect or itself. For example, responsibility for the 
investment in skills will have to be shared, and the retail sector must pl ay an important role 
here, alongside governments, individu als, and the educational sector. 
European retail services present a diverse and complex picture. Hence, there is no "one size 
fits all" solution or approach to the challenges they face. The diversity of the retail sector 
includes differences in terms of the type of providers (S MEs or larger companies), 
organisation (groups of independent  retailers, cooperatives, corpor ations, etc.), outlet sizes, 
formats, product lines, the supply chains invo lved, locations, business models, levels of 
vertical integration, ownership st ructures and size of operations. 
Productivity levels in the distributive trades se ctor need to be improved in Europe, while 
preserving the quality of jobs and current leve ls of employment. Micro companies and SMEs 
contribute a relatively large share to EU valu e added, which is why actions are needed that 
will stimulate their productivity even further so as  to bring both more growth and more jobs to 
the EU. Some of the measures proposed in th is Action Plan (e.g., the measure on labelling) 
will help companies reallocate resources to thos e activities that generate real growth, thereby 
boosting their productivity. This is especially true for SMEs, which often have to devote a 
large proportion of their human and financial resources to in formation gathering, in particular 
on rules applicable in other Member States. So me of the other measures proposed in this 
Action Plan (e.g., the measure on electronic paym ents) will encourage distance sales through 
the internet and thus create opportunities, in particular for SMEs, to expand their consumer 
base, possibly beyond national borders. They will al so help achieve the objectives defined in 
the Communication "A Digital Agenda for Europe"9 and the "E-Commerce Action Plan"10. 
 2. ACHIEVING  A SINGLE  MARKET  IN RETAIL 
Over the last decades, the EU Retail Sector had undergone sweeping changes, and currently 
faces a number of challenges that hamper the abili ty of the sector to fully contribute to the 
Europe 2020 goals of growth and job creation. 
Therefore, it is esse ntial to propose a strategy for achie ving a well-functioning Single Market 
in Retail, thereby contributing to the EU’s territorial and social cohesion - through improved 
access to more sustainable and competitive retail services. Such a strategy would make a 
                                                                 
9  Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European and 
Economic Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions ‘ A Digital Agenda for Europe’  
(COM(2010) 245 final of 26 August 2010). 
10  Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European and 
Economic Social Committee and th e Committee of the Regions ‘ A coherent framework for building 
trust in the digital single market for e-commerce and online services ’ (COM(2011) 942 final of 11 
January 2012 also known as the E-Commerce Action Plan). 
 
5 
 substantial contribution to economic growth, a nd would enable retailers to deliver even 
greater value to European consumers. 
 2.1 Change in the Retail Sector 
Over the past two decades, modernisation of th e EU economy has resulted in many changes in 
retail. Networks of outlets have emerged sel ling multiple product lines. Vertical integration 
has enabled retailers to benefit from more efficient distribution and logistics. Large retailers 
have come to enjoy significant economies of s cale in the purchasing process, increasing their 
bargaining power vis-à-vis  suppliers. Centralised purch asing has led to a gradual 
internationalisation of supply, both within the EU and when buying from third countries. 
Buying alliances and groups of independent SME retailers have been cr eated to pool their 
expertise and to benefit from ec onomies of scale. Finally, the reta ilers’ quest to respond better 
to consumer demand has led them to increa se their control over the supply chain (e.g., 
through private labels)11. 
Together, such changes have led to an increase in outlet numbers, formats and product lines, 
and a relative decrease in end-consumer prices . However, increased competition and squeezed 
margins have also driven many small independe nt shops and SME produ cers/suppliers out of 
business. Increased pressure  on working conditions has not necessarily produced only 
advantages for consumers, and has sometimes  even increased the EU’s environmental 
footprint. 
 2.2 The Retail Sector Face s Multiple Challenges 
Currently, retailers face varied challenges depending on their size  and sectors of activity. The 
development of e-commerce is also putting pre ssure on the retail sector to reinvent its 
business models. In addition, a blurring of the bo rderline between sectors (the scope of retail 
services continues to broaden through the constant addition of new products and services, 
including financial, telecommunica tions and travel services, utilities, etc.) means that business 
models are becoming more and more mu ltifaceted. Global phenomena, such as the 
consequences of the financial crisis for consumers' purchasing power, rising commodity 
prices, demographic trends, in particular the aging of the EU population, and the drive for 
sustainability, all challenge  existing retail business m odels and processes.  
As explained above, the challenges in the retail  sector may be different for various types of 
retailers and may differ across Member States due to differences in national markets. For 
example, new technologies for paying via smart phones (mobile payments) are emerging. However, this requires setting up the necessary infrastructure for accepting these payments at 
the point of sale. For large retailers, operating in more than one Member State, one of the 
main challenges in this respect is the absence of pan-European  standards for the acceptance of 
mobile payments. Smaller retailers may not always have the necessary skills for dealing with new technologies. 
 2.3 A Retail Single Market for the Benefit of All Actors 
Addressing the key bottlenecks in achieving the Single Market in Retail has the potential to 
bring benefits to all the actors concerned, and to the environment: 
− Consumers
: improved access to quality retail services and products, more competitive 
prices and better information on quality a nd prices, as well as on the environmental 
                                                                 
11 Staff Working document accompanying the Retail Market  Monitoring Report (S EC(2010) 807), p. 11. 
 
6 
 characteristics of products, would enhan ce consumer choice within both ‘bricks and 
mortar’ and e-commerce retail formats. 
− Businesses : retailers and their suppliers, especi ally SMEs, would benefit tangibly from 
the Single Market through the development of  a more predictable legal environment, 
enabling them to deliver even greater valu e throughout the supply ch ain. Similarly, by 
addressing unfairness in the supply chai n, upstream and downstream players would 
enjoy more sustainable relationships and would be encouraged to increase both 
innovation and investment. Further developmen t of e-commerce will benefit retailers by 
providing them with more opportu nities to find new markets.  
− Employees : the retail sector should benefit from more qualified staff and improved 
working conditions, leading to higher jo b satisfaction. Improvi ng employee training 
would also help provide be tter job opportunities, especi ally for the young and less 
qualified.  
These varied issues cannot be addressed in is olation. The policy actions proposed must strike 
the right balance between economic freedoms an d public-interest objectives. To achieve these 
goals, this Communication sets out a Europe an Retail Action Plan based on 11 concrete 
actions, forming a coherent, holistic European strategy12.  
In addition, the Commission will set up a permanent Group on Retail Competitiveness  
involving Member States and all relevant stakeholders, especia lly SMEs, to help trigger a 
‘retail reflex’  in the political agenda, increasing awaren ess of retail issues  and concerns. This 
Group will help develop further specific objectives  for the areas identified, monitor progress 
achieved, issue recommendations to ensure full implementation of the actions included in this Plan and, where necessary, will advise the Co mmission on additional ne w actions that could 
be proposed. 
 3. FIVE KEY DRIVERS FOR MORE COMPETITIVE AND 
SUSTAINABLE
 RETAIL  SERVICES 
The Commission has identified th e following five key priorities : 
(1) Consumer empowerment  - through, inter alia , more transparent, more reliable 
and more directly comparable informa tion on the price and quality of products. 
(2) Improved access to more sustainab le and competitive retail services  - both 
‘bricks and mortar’ and e-commerce retail  could benefit from improved market 
access, in particular through clearer and more transparent establishment rules. 
(3) Fairer and more sustainable trading relationships along the retail supply 
chain  - stakeholders would benefit from  a framework effectively tackling 
unfair trading practices. 
(4) More innovative solutions  - stakeholders would benef it if research results were 
brought more rapidly to market. 
                                                                 
12   The proposed approach is in line with the principles announced in the Communication from the 
Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European and Economic Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions “ EU Regulatory Fitness ” (COM (2012) 746 final of 12 December 
2012). In this context the Commission is committed to  reviewing existing legislation in the retail sector 
with a view to identify the potential for simplifying rules and reducing regulatory costs for business and 
citizens without compromising public policy objectives. 
 
7 
 (5) Better working environment  - both employees and employers will benefit from 
creating better working conditions and addressing mismatches between skills 
required and those available. 
 3.1 Consumer empowerment 
The European Consumer Agenda13 emphasised that empowering c onsumers in an integrated 
Single Market requires a robust set of principles  and tools. Such a framework ensures a proper 
enforcement of consumer rights, as well as access to effective redress, re liable and meaningful 
information and improved consumer education. 
Empowered consumers can make better purchasi ng decisions. They search for information 
and make use of it. They also know and use their rights. More know ledgeable and involved 
consumers are not only more capable of finding the ‘best value for money’,  but are also more 
interested in sustainable and ethical consum ption. Consumer choices and preferences are 
among the key factors driving the development of the retail sector. Retailers are well-
positioned to inform consumer purchasing decisi ons positively: through day-to-day contact 
with their clients and the influe nce they have on other actors in the supply chain, retailers can 
inform consumers of products that are of hi gher quality, ethically produced, or which are 
distinguished by their be tter environmental and/or social performance. 
By improving transparency for consumers, the retail sector has the potential to create a true 
Single Market in Retail. Giving consumers easie r access to reliable, rele vant and meaningful 
information about the variety of offers availabl e across the EU will enable them to take full 
advantage of the Single Market. Facilitating the comparison of offers would help consumers 
choose the products and services that best fit th eir needs, thus promoti ng healthy competition. 
In combination with other measures that can ad dress the persistent case s of fragmentation of 
the EU market, this should contribute to EU-w ide price convergence. Actions to improve the 
transparency and reliability of information for consumers would be especially beneficial if 
implemented at EU level, give n that strictly national measur es, however well-designed, would 
fail to capture the benefits that could be de rived from a truly integrated Single Market. 
 3.1.1 Consumer Information 
According to existing research, a majority of  Europeans who use the Internet search for 
information in order to compare price or qua lity, before buying goods on- or off-line. Faced 
with an information overload, they often turn to intermediaries, such as online comparison tools, that can help them identify the best offe rs available. Although this  type of websites can 
help consumers compare offers, the practices of  such information intermediaries also show 
significant shortcomings
14. To really be of benefit to cons umers, comparison tools should be 
relevant to their needs, as well as transp arent, reliable and comprehensive and easily-
accessible. The inclusion of cross-border offe rs by comparison websites is important for 
consumers to be able to take fu ll advantage of the Single Market. 
                                                                 
13 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European and 
Economic Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions “ A European Consumer Agenda - 
Boosting confidence and growth ” (COM(2012) 225 final of 22 May 2012). 
14 Consumer market study on the functioning of e-commerce and internet market and selling techniques in 
the retail of goods, CIVIC consulting, 2011: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/consumer_resear ch/market_studies/e_commerce_study_en.htm
  
 
8 
 Moreover, better consumer information entails not  only raising consumer awareness so as to 
support their ability to uphold thei r rights, but also raising bus inesses' awareness of their 
obligations stemming from consumer legislat ion applicable across the Single Market.  
As indicated in the European Consumer Agenda and the E-Comm erce Action Plan, the 
Commission will work with intermediaries and tr aders with a view to developing codes of 
good conduct, good practice guidelines, and/or ot her tools for price comparison, as most 
appropriate. 
In addition, as part of the Digital Agenda, the Code of EU online rights compiles legal 
consumer rights set in EU legisl ation related to the digital environment in a transparent and 
comprehensive way. The Code is an important tool for inspiring trust and confidence among 
consumers and contributes to greater use of online services15. 
 3.1.2 More Sustainable Consumer Choices 
The environmental performance of organisations  and products is currently measured and 
communicated using a range of channels and formats, under different private and public 
initiatives, with different le vels of ambition, and using diffe rent assessment methodologies. 
This leads to a diverse lands cape of labels, claims and reporting schemes. Introducing 
harmonised European methodologies will bring more transparency for consumers. While 
developing such methodologies, th e Commission will ensure that a level playing field exists 
for businesses and that costs are kept to a minimum, especially for SMEs. 
Actions:  
(1) Through dialogue with stakeholders, th e Commission will develop good-practice 
guidelines and/or codes of conduct to facilitate consumer access to transparent 
and reliable information, making it easier  to compare prices, quality and the 
sustainability of goods and services.  
(2) The Commission will propose Europe an methodologies for measuring and 
communicating the overall environmenta l impact of products and organisations.  
 3.2 Access to More Competitive Retail Services 
The accessibility of retail services has substantially increased in recent years, in terms of both 
location and availability. The development of e-commerce has become an integral part of 
retailers’ business models, increas ing the range of products/servi ces available and facilitating 
price comparison. Nevertheless, a number of issues remain to be addressed to boost 
competition in retail services. 
The need to eliminate existing barriers to establishment, and more generally to strengthen 
competition in the retail sector, was one of the main CSRs arising from the 2012 European 
Semester whose goal was to bring more growth  and more jobs to Europe. Introducing pro-
competitive measures, in particular those linked to e-commerce, would help strengthen the Single Market, especially for SMEs. Moreover, according to some recent estimates
16, the 
economic impact of the Services Directive could l ead to an increase of up to 2.6% in the EU's 
GDP if fully implemented. Given that the retail  and wholesale sectors represent a quarter of 
                                                                 
15  https://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/code-eu-online-rights 
16 http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/economic_paper/2012/ecp456_en.htm   
 
9 
 the value added of all se ctors covered by the Services Directiv e, the impact of eliminating the 
remaining barriers in these s ectors should be significant. 
 3.2.1 Commercial Establishment 
Competition between retailers can be boosted by f acilitating market entry. Selecting the right 
location for retail development and the timely start of operations are decisive for business 
success. Execution depends not only on the availabi lity of suitable real estate, but also on the 
existence of commercial and spatial planning rule s and procedures that do not inappropriately 
hamper competition. 
The responsibility to ensure balanced and sust ainable territorial development lies primarily 
with Member States. Their action may lead to restrictions on the location or the range of 
products/services retailers can offer. Such restri ctions have a major impact on: (i) territorial 
organisation (e.g., traffic and transport infrastruc ture); (ii) the scope businesses enjoy to open 
and operate shops; (iii) retailers’ formats; an d (iv) consumer choice . As recognised by the 
Court of Justice of the European Union, restrictions on the fr eedom of commercial 
establishment may be justified by overriding reasons in the public interest, such as environmental protection, town and country plan ning and consumer protection, provided that 
they are appropriate and proportionate
17. 
It is therefore important to ensure, on the one  hand, respect of the freedom of establishment 
and avoiding distortion of competition, and, on  the other hand, respect for other relevant 
objectives and interests enshrined in the EU’s general policies. Th ere is a need for a balanced 
approach which can take into account, inter alia , planning for sustainable development, for 
territorial cohesion, and for a hi gh quality of both urban and rura l life, as well as minimising 
environmental impacts18. 
The Services Directive, which applies in this field, also contains a number of unequivocal 
obligations for Member States. One of these is the obligation to eliminate requirements 
prohibited by the Services Directive, such as  economic tests which make the granting of an 
authorisation to carry out a service activity subj ect to proof of the existence of an economic 
need or market demand, an assessment of the potential or current economic effects of the 
activity, or an assessment of th e appropriateness of the activity  in relation to the economic 
planning objectives set by the competent authority. In the Communication on the 
implementation of the Services Directive19, the Commission has a nnounced a zero-tolerance 
policy to eliminate the remaining cases of non- compliance with unequivoc al obligations such 
as the one to remove economic tests that stil l apply in some Member  States despite being 
forbidden by the Services Directive. The zer o-tolerance policy does not, however, concern 
those planning requirements that serve overrid ing reasons relating to the public interest20. 
Therefore, taking into account ce rtain important EU objectives such as territorial cohesion and 
environmental protection, efforts should be ma de to identify and disseminate good practices 
                                                                 
17 CJEU judgment C-400/08, Commission v/ Spain  of 24 March 2011. 
18 To assess the appropriateness of environmental measures, various tools will be used, including the 
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive (D irective 2001/42/EC). In addition, for concrete 
projects such as the construction of shopping centres and car parks, a 'screening' under Article 4(2) of 
the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directiv e (Directive 2011/92/EU) has to be carried out, on 
the basis of which it will be decided if  a full EIA procedure is necessary.  
19 COM(2012) 261 final. 
20 Staff Working Document to the Communication on the implementation of the Services Directive 
(SWD(2012)148 final of 8 June 2012). 
 
10 
 of commercial planning that can ensure the successful marriage of a competitive retail sector 
with fair and sustainable deve lopment of cities, towns and ru ral areas across the European 
Union. 
 3.2.2 E-commerce 
The significant spread of e-commerce has led to enhanced competition between traditional 
retailers and on-line di stribution channels, and is genera ting fresh opportunities that can 
unleash significant growth potential. However, e-commerce currently represents only 5% of 
total EU retail sales21, and only 10% of EU citizens have shopped online in another Member 
State, while 39% do so in their own Member State22. These numbers demonstrate the vast 
unexplored potential of the digital economy. Ad apting to these new realities by developing 
multichannel strategies would pave the way for SMEs to tap the potential for growth linked to the on-line channel. Indeed, SMEs that make s ubstantial use of Internet technologies grow 
and export twice as much as others. They also create twice as many jobs
23. For example, 97% 
of eBay "commercial sellers", including 94% of  the smallest 10% of "commercial sellers", 
sell goods abroad24. This shows that, with limited in vestment, SMEs can use an on-line 
platform to reach foreign markets and develop a potentially significant cross-border activity. 
In this changing enviro nment, the Commission will follow developments closely in both the 
on- and off-line retail markets, examine their respective roles in modern retailing, and shape 
its possible actions so as to respond positively to this dynamism. 
In this context, it is important to verify  that new legislative proposals would have no 
detrimental impact on either traditional retail or e-commerce, especially as regards cross-border sales. Careful reflection is therefore ne eded when contemplating any new legislative 
proposal. The Commission will pro-actively examin e these issues in preparatory work on all 
such new proposals. 
Actions : 
(3) Member States must remove all remain ing instances of non-compliance with 
unequivocal obligations under the Services  Directive concerning access to, and 
exercise of, retail activities, including e liminating economic needs tests within the 
meaning of Article 14§5 of the Services Directive. The Commission will apply its 
zero-tolerance policy through infringe ment procedures, where appropriate. 
(4) The Commission will: 
a) Launch a performance check in the retail  sector to explore how commercial 
and spatial planning rules and plans are applied on the ground by the 
competent authorities where a potential service provider wishes to set up a 
small, medium or large retail outlet. 
b) Through exchange of best practices, pr ovide for greater clarity regarding 
the proper balance between freedom of  establishment, spatial/commercial 
planning, and environmental and social protection.  
                                                                 
21 Source: Eurostat, ICT usage and e- commerce in enterprises, 2011. 
22 Source: Eurostat, ICT usage in households and by individuals, 2011. 
23 Internet Matters, the net's sweeping impact on growth, jobs, and prosperity, McKinsey Global institute, 
May 2011. 
24 Source: EBay study, "Enabling traders to enter and grow on the global stage", June 2012. 
 
11 
  3.3 Developing a More Balanced Business-to-Business Food and Non-Food 
Supply Chain 
Unfair Trading Practices (UTPs) are practices  and terms that gros sly deviate from good 
commercial conduct and which are contrary to good faith and fair dealing in business-to-
business (B2B) relationships. The B2B retail food and non-food supply chain is the chain of 
transactions between undertakings  or between undertakings and public authorities that leads 
to the delivery of goods destined mainly to the general public for personal or household consumption or utilisation. It is composed of a number of actors (producers/processors/distrib utors). A well-functioning B2B food and non-food supply chain 
is key to achieve the maximum economic potentia l of those sub-sectors. UTPs are typically 
imposed in a situation of imbalance of power by a stronger party on a weaker one. 
Fairness in B2B relationships ensures the proper functioning of the B2B food and non-food 
supply chain. It is alleged that UTPs' negative impact may affect the capacity of companies, 
especially SMEs, to invest and innovate. An ex ample of a UTP could be  the case of practices 
enabling retailers to transfer back  to suppliers part of the risk  involved in retailing. This may 
be applied in case of low sales, sales discounts,  season-end inventory, etc. Further example of 
a UTP could be the case where territorial suppl y constraints imposed by certain multi-national 
suppliers impede retailers from sourcing iden tical goods cross-border fr om a central location 
from where they could be distributed to othe r Member States. Such constraints segment the 
market and can result in significant wholes ale price differences  between countries. 
Addressing these issues would dimi nish such differences and help  retailers bring the benefits 
of the Single Market to consumers. 
Different approaches exist to address UTPs at national level. Wher e UTPs are addressed, 
national (regulatory or se lf-regulatory) rules usually differ fr om one Member State to another. 
In Member States where no specific frameworks on UTPs exist, the reasoning usually provided is that general competition law is sufficiently effective to address the issue or that there is a certain reluctance to interfere with th e contractual freedom of the parties, especially 
in the absence of a breach of competition rules. 
In the food sector, the work of the High Le vel Forum for a Better Functioning Food Supply 
Chain represented a concerted effort by stak eholders to bring forw ard a self-regulatory 
solution to this problem. The Expert Platform on B2B Contractual Practices has delivered a 
set of principles of fair practices in vertical relations in the food supply chain signed by eleven 
organisations representing different inte rests across the European food supply chain
25 and has 
been working on an enforcement mechanis m. Despite common efforts, the proposed 
framework did not gain the support of represen tatives from across the entire supply chain and 
failed to identify effective remedies for non-compliance. Work is on-going to find a 
compromise through this sector-specific appr oach, and the Commission will continue to 
monitor the specific developmen ts in the food supply chain. 
In order to ensure that effective solutions can  be found, the issue of UTPs in relationships 
throughout the B2B supply chain should be a pproached through a broader perspective.  
Evolution in the retail sector, in particular "mixed" formats, means that UTPs may occur in 
other sectors of the B2B food and non-food supply chain. 
                                                                 
25 AIM, CEJA, CELCAA, CLITRAVI, Copa-C ogeca, ERRT, EuroCo mmerce, EuroCoop, 
FoodDrinkEurope, UEAPME and UGAL. 
 
12 
  3.3.1 Addressing UTPs 
As a part of this Action Plan, the Commission is  adopting in parallel a Green Paper on UTPs 
in the B2B food and non-food supply chain. The Green Paper will open a consultation on this 
topic, the results of which ar e expected to be available by late spring 2013. Based on the 
results of the consultation, the Commission w ill consider appropriate  next steps in 2013. 
Action:  
(5) The Commission will adopt a Green Paper detailing the common features of UTPs 
in the B2B food and non-food supply chain and open a consultation the results of 
which will be available by late spring 2013. The results of the consultation will 
feed into an impact assessment of the different options identified to address the 
issue at EU level. 
 3.4 Developing a More Sustainable Retail Supply Chain  
Optimising the environmental performance of th e EU's retail and wholesale sector (e.g., by 
reducing food-related waste and unnecessary packaging, and by promoting sustainable 
sourcing) could result in an increased standard of living and better quali ty of life in the EU, 
while at the same time saving resources and supporting innovative SMEs which promote environmentally friendly activities. 
 3.4.1 More Sustainable Production and Consumption 
Retailers are in a pivotal position to promote mo re sustainable consumption patterns, not only 
through their daily contact with millions of European consumers, but also through their own 
actions and their partnerships with suppliers. Research results
26 illustrate that it is crucial that 
retailers strive to offer product ranges that ar e more sustainable and environmentally-friendly 
and thus move towards greener supply chains27. Some retailers have already developed such 
strategies, and have successfully  implemented them as part of  their daily business practices. 
Retailers have an important role in guiding co nsumers to make more sustainable choices and 
in tackling confusion generated by multiple gree n-labels and claims, by promoting clear and 
comparable product environmental footprinting28 and awareness of the EU Eco-label. 
Another key question is the issue of energy savings. The potential for food retailers to 
improve their energy efficiency is especially  big. The most important measures would be 
                                                                 
26 E.g., the EU EMAS Sectoral Reference Docume nt on Best Environmental Management Practices 
(BEMPs) in the Retail Trade Sector. 
27 JRC/IPTS Pilot Reference Document on Best Envi ronmental Management Practice in the Retail Trade 
Sector (2011), http://susproc.jrc.ec.europa.eu/activities/ emas/documents/RetailTradeSector.pdf  and 
JRC/IPTS (Styles et al), Environmental Improvement of Product Supply Chains: A Review of European Retailer' Performance, Resources, Conservation and Recycling 65 (2012) 57-78, and, Environmental 
Improvement of Product Supply Chains: Proposed Best Practice Techniques, Quantitative Indicators 
and Benchmarks of Excellence for Retailers, Journal of Environmental Management 110 (2012) 135-150. 
28  As announced in the Single Market Act, the Commission will adopt a Communication on the Single 
Market for Green Products in 2013 including harmonised criteria and methodologies for environmental footprinting for certain product categories. 
 
13 
 covering display cases, and recovering refrigerat ion heat waste in order to use it for space 
heating, as well as usin g natural refrigerants29. 
 3.4.2 Reducing Food Waste 
Building awareness and helping consumers fight food waste are vital to achieving sustainable 
patterns of consumer choices. Su ch waste stems mainly from: (i ) supply-chain inefficiencies; 
(ii) stock-management inefficiencies; (iii) mark eting strategies; and (iv) marketing standards 
(product rejection due to packaging issues, wher e neither food quality nor safety is affected). 
To address this pressing issue, the Commi ssion is assessing how best to limit food waste 
throughout the food supply chain in order to ach ieve the milestone of reducing by 50% edible 
food waste by 2020 set in the Resource Efficiency Roadmap. 
The role of retailers as intermediaries is crucial for food-waste reduction. The Retail Forum 
for Sustainability30 is a multi-stakeholder platform set up in order to excha nge best practices 
on sustainability in th e EU retail sector and to identify opportunities and barriers that may 
further or hinder the achievement  of sustainable consumption and production. It was set up 
following the Sustainable Consumption and Pr oduction and Sustainable Industrial Policy 
Action Plan31 and it is already tack ling key environmental i ssues, including food waste 
through common voluntary action32. 
Actions:  
(6) In the context of existing EU Platforms, the Commissi on will support retailers to 
implement actions to reduce food wa ste without compromising food safety 
(awareness raising, communication, facilita ting of redistribution to food banks, 
etc.) e.g., through the Retail Agreement on Waste; and work on developing a long-
term policy on food waste, including a Communication on Sustainable Food to be 
adopted in 2013. 
(7) Through dialogue with stakeholders, the Commission will define best practices to 
make supply chains more environmentall y-friendly and sust ainable and minimise 
the energy consumption of retail outle ts. The Commission will encourage retailers 
in the context of existing fora to apply these best practices. 
 3.5 Developing More Innovative Solutions 
Innovation is one the most crucial factors in ensuring economic growth. Retailers are major 
drivers of innovation. They closely follow consumer  trends, which they also help to form, and 
they pass this information on to suppliers. They act as ‘innovation multipliers’  that rapidly 
adopt and deploy novel technologie s throughout the supply chain. Retailers are early adopters 
of new technologies, bringing innovation and adde d value to the whole of the retail chain. In 
                                                                 
29 JRC/IPTS Pilot Reference Document on Best Envi ronmental Management Practice in the Retail Trade 
Sector for a description of techniques to explore the Retail Sector's significant energy-saving potential. 
30 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/industry/retail/index_en.htm   
31 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European and 
Economic Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions “ on the Sustainable Consumption and 
Production and Sustainable Industrial Policy Action Plan  (COM (2008) 397 final of 16 July 2008). 
32  The Retail Agreement on Waste (http://ec.europa.eu/envi ronment/industry/retail/event_2012/pdf/retail-
agreement-on-waste .pdf) was signed in October 2012 at the Retail Forum annual event by 19 retail 
companies and associations that committed to impl ement at least two awareness-raising initiatives on 
waste reduction by mid-2014. 
 
14 
 the logistics sector, for example, intelligent retailers’ warehouses allow heavy loads to be 
moved effortlessly and faster than they can be  manually, and therefore more efficiently, thus 
reducing the risk of occupationa l accidents, while increasing produc tivity. Some retailers have 
also developed dedicated facilities allowing the pick-up and delivery of goods ordered on-
line, contributing to a more  sustainable supply chain. 
However, many EU retailers have not reinvent ed themselves fast enough to reap the full 
potential of new technologies. This may be partia lly due to the specific  features of retail 
services (e.g., easily copied, always custom er-driven, often non-technological and service-
oriented). Nevertheless, in an international cont ext, most players in the United States can be 
seen to have invested he avily in retail innovation. 
Adequate mechanisms should, therefore, be put in place to improve reta ilers’ involvement in 
the Innovation Union flagship initiative that provides for a comprehens ive innovation strategy 
from research to retail33. Innovative technological solutions  should be explored to help 
overcome the fragmentation of markets due to divergent regulatory re gimes between Member 
States, and to relax burdensome and costly ma ndatory rules. Bringing research results and 
ideas to the market faster thr ough better involvement of  retailers in this process would also 
help boost productivity leve ls in the retail sector. 
Achieving a level playing field for actors in th e area of innovation c ould help promote even 
closer integration of the Single Market, while at the same time promoting the best practices 
coming from SME innovators. Most SMEs have a great capacity for i nnovation regardless of 
whether they are young high-tech companies or trad itional craft enterprise s, whether they are 
mainly active in local markets or have custom ers world-wide. More than a quarter (27%) of 
SMEs pursuing innovation activities in the EU introduced new or improved products to the market in 2008 alone
34. 
In the retail sector, SMEs perform a very importa nt role in ensuring the availability (in terms 
of space, time and range) of products and servi ces for consumers. Sinc e retail is a consumer 
oriented sector, SMEs' in-depth market knowledg e allows them to rapidly identify where new 
technologies can help meet consumer demand. Moreover, due to their organisational flexibility, SMEs are able easily to develop ne w products and services, or modify existing 
ones, so that they best meet consumer needs. 
 3.5.1 Product Labelling  
Different mandatory labelling requirements can hinder operators from freely sourcing across 
the EU when looking for a bette r price. The existing EU regul atory regime on labelling of 
foodstuffs
35 harmonises mandatory food information. However, it also allows for the 
introduction of additional mandatory labelling requirements at national level on certain specific grounds. Thus, even thoug h the rules applied in the Memb er States are similar, in 
some cases product marketing requires coun try-by-country compliance assessment. The 
resulting legal complexity can hamper cross-borde r sourcing, and make it difficult to reap the 
benefits of economies of scale. 
                                                                 
33 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European and 
Economic Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions “ Europe 2020 Flagship Initiative 
Innovation Union ” (COM (2010) 546 final of 6 October 2010). 
34 Innovation Union Competitiveness Report (2011); http://ec.europa.eu/research/innovation-
union/index_en.cfm?section=competitiveness-report&year=2011   
35 Directive 2000/13/EC harmonises general provisions on labelling of foodstuffs; to be replaced by 
Regulation 1169/2011 as of 13 December 2014. 
 
15 
 Increased transparency in this area would bring benefits to all stakehol ders. A feasibility study 
for a pilot database bringing together both EU a nd national labelling requ irements in the food 
sector will be launched, in order to make in formation on labelling rules accessible to all. 
Innovative technological solutions can be explor ed (e.g., using bar-code s canners in shops to 
provide the required information in lieu  of traditional labels), that  could provide cost-efficient, 
consumer-oriented solutions. 
 3.5.2 Electronic Payments 
According to a recent study publishe d by the European Central Bank36, the costs to society of 
providing retail payment services  are substantial. On average, they amount to 1% of GDP, or 
some €130 billion for 2009. Around half of thes e social costs are incurred by banks and 
payment infrastructures, while 46%  are borne by retailers. Social  costs exclude fees paid to 
other market actors in the payment service tran saction chain. If such fees are included, the 
total cost of payments for retailers is even hi gher than for banks and infrastructures. Hence, 
payments represent a significant component of the cost of doing busine ss for EU merchants. 
Electronic payments offer important opportunities in this field. The market for retail payments 
is dynamic and has seen significant developments  with the emergence of e-commerce. While 
banks and card schemes are still dominant in retail payments, other payment methods have 
emerged, such as non-card-based internet an d mobile payments, driven by the growing 
penetration of smartphones, and show  strong future growth potential37. 
The Commission Green Paper on card, internet and mobile payments38 strives to promote an 
integrated European market in these areas for the benefit of consumers and merchants. The benefits stemming from great er integration include: 
− More competition between payment provide rs, and a level playing field between 
incumbents and new players. 
− More choice and transparency in paymen t services for consumers and merchants. 
− More innovation in payment services, and enhanced security supporting the 
development of e- commerce. 
The Green Paper and the ensuing stakeholder consultations identified a number of possible 
hurdles for the market integration of card, in ternet and mobile payments. These include: 
− Restricted market access for new, card- or non-card-based, payment service providers; 
(e.g., access to information on payment account s by third-party providers, or access to 
clearing and settlement systems for new payment providers). 
− Strongly varying (between Member States) a nd possibly excessive levels of multi-lateral 
interchange fees (MIFs) for card payments. Such fees repr esent the major share of the 
fees being charged by acquirers to merchants for accepting card payments. 
− Obstacles that prevent merchants from benefitting from cross-border or centralised 
acquisition of card payments. 
                                                                 
36 "The social and private costs of retail payment in struments: a European perspective", Occasional Paper 
Series, ECB, No. 137, Frankfurt, September 2012. 
37 Report of the Working Group on Innovations in Retail Payments — Bank for International Settlements, 
May 2012. 
38 Green Paper "Towards an integrated European market for card, internet and mobile payments", 
(COM(2011) 941 final of 11 January 2011) . 
 
16 
 − Standardisation and inter-operability gaps for the provision of card, internet and mobile 
payments, and resulting disincentives for merchants to invest in the necessary 
infrastructure, such as payment terminals; 
Some of the measures addressi ng these issues coul d be introduced through the revision of the 
Payment Services Directive39 and the introduction of an enha nced governance model for retail 
payments in the EU. The Commission has also  announced a legislativ e proposal on MIFs in 
its Communication on the Single Market Act II40. 
Actions:  
(8) The Commission will launch a retail innov ation initiative in 2013 whereby the 
Commission, with the help of high-level experts, will explore how to ensure that 
the retail sector can contribute to, and be nefit from, innovativ e products, services 
and technologies. On that basis, the Co mmission will design concrete actions 
focused on boosting retail competitiveness, such as bringing rese arch results to the 
market faster, integrating the e-comme rce and brick-and-mortar environments, 
new ways of informing consumers about products, the development of innovation-
friendly regulations and standards, etc. 
(9) The Commission will examine the feasibil ity of setting up a dedicated database 
containing all EU and domestic food labelling rules and providing a simple way to 
identify labelling requirements per product. 
(10) The Commission will take measures to ensu re better market integration for card, 
internet and mobile payments through: 
a) Revision of the Payment Services Directive; 
b)  An enhanced governance model for retail payment services; and,  
c) A legislative proposal on multi-lateral interchange fees for payment 
cards.  
 3.6 Creating a Better Working Environment 
The fluidity of the job market is extremely important in enabling the retail sector to provide 
access to jobs for young, unqualified and/or seasonal workers (32  % of all retail employees 
are unskilled or semi-skilled, compared to an average of 27  % in the workforce as a whole). 
Retail services act often as a starting point fo r those who are entering or re-entering the job 
market (15  % of all workers in the re tail sector are under 24-ye ars old, compared to an 
average of 9  %; 30  % of retail-sector employees work part -time, compared to an average of 
20 %)41. 
Given the significant labour force employed in th e retail sector, the sector should fully benefit 
from facilitated mobility for workers, so that  skills can be employed where they are most 
                                                                 
39 Directive 2007/64/EC of 13 November 2007 on payment services in the internal market amending 
Directives 97/7/EC, 2002/65/EC, 2005/60/EC and 2006/48/EC and repealing Directive 97/5/EC (OJ No 
L 319, of 5 December 2007, p. 1). 
40 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European and 
Economic Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions "Single Market Act II -Together for new 
growth" , (COM(2012) 573 final of 3 October 2012). 
41 Structural features of distributive trades and their impact on prices in the euro area , ECB, Occasional 
Paper, No 128, September 2011. 
 
17 
 relevant. This is essential to maximise the contribution of the sector to EU growth. The 
measures proposed will help make better use of  available skills, especially for SMEs, given 
the high share of self-e mployed in the sector. 
 3.6.1 Skills-Needs Mismatch 
Existing mismatches between labour force skills and the needs of the retail sector pose 
significant challenges for the optimal functioning  of the sector. To address this shortcoming, 
the current and future workforce needs to have the right skills portfolio, which will require an 
accurate ex-ante  analysis of skill needs. Identification of the skills needs and mismatches are 
particularly relevant to enhancing the em ployability of young people entering the labour 
market, the long-term unemployed, older workers,  immigrants and the di sabled. In addition, 
on-going innovation and the resulting increase in levels of automation in the retail sector 
would require workers to update their skill sets frequently in order to adapt to changing work 
and tasks.  
To achieve the above aims, public investment al one will not be sufficient. Responsibility for 
the investment in skills will have to be shared, and the retail sector must play a greater role alongside governments, individuals, and the educatio nal sector. Even in the current situation, 
where the focus is on controlli ng budgetary expenditu res, reducing investment in education 
and training should not be an option. On the c ontrary, substantial and smart investment in 
skills development will not only secure the best "value for money", but will also help reap the 
benefits of people's potential. As underlin ed in the Communication “Rethinking Education”
42, 
in order to ensure an adequate ly and appropriately skilled wo rkforce, efforts to modernise 
education and training systems will have to be multiplied. Retail sector enterprises should play an important role in shaping the new cu rricula, developing training and apprenticeship 
programmes, and cooperating closely with educati on systems to identify the areas on which to 
focus, such as increasing environmental skills amongst employees, or achieving better 
supplier relations. Enhancing sc hool-business partnerships, incl uding dual training systems 
for apprentices supported by the European Alliance for Apprenticeships
43, and introducing 
different forms of traineeships and scholarships,  can be useful for both parties: businesses in 
the retail sector can thus ensure that they have access to a well-trained workforce with the 
right skills, while schools can at tract more students if their cu rriculum provides a diploma that 
has a higher value on the labour market. In additi on, at EU level, sector specific instruments 
have been recently developed and tested to support stronger and more structured partnerships 
between skills providers and businesses. One of them, the Sector Skills Alliances44 proposed 
under the new Erasmus for All Programme45, might be particularly fitted to address the 
specific needs of the retail sector. Regeneratio n projects are good exampl es of how retailers 
can work together with local authoriti es to tackle long-term unemployment. 
                                                                 
42  Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European and 
Economic Social Committee and th e Committee of the Regions “ Rethinking Education: Investing in 
skills for better socio-economic outcomes ” (COM (2012) 669 final of 20 November 2012). 
43  Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European and 
Economic Social Committee and th e Committee of the Regions “ Moving Youth into Employment”  
(COM (2012) 727 final of 5 December 2012) 
44  http://ec.europa.eu/education/news/20120425_en.htm 
45  Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European and 
Economic Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions “ ERASMUS FOR ALL: The EU 
Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport”  (COM(2011) 787 final of 23 November 2011). 
 
18 
 Skills mismatches vary widely across sectors and across the EU, and also differ in their 
duration. In order to reduce the skills gap faced  by companies and jobseekers all stakeholders, 
including companies and social partners in the retail sector , should get involved in defining 
the qualitative and quantita tive skills needs of the sector in the short, medium and long term.  
The launch in 2012 of a European Sectoral Ski lls Council for the commer ce sector – covering 
retail and wholesale – is expected to play a crucia l role in building up sect or skills intelligence 
together with national skills councils in this se ctor. Feeding into the recently launched EU 
Skills Panorama46 the work of these skills councils will  contribute to anti cipate and prevent 
gaps and mismatches by providing stakeholders  with information on the evolution of skills 
needs and employment. Better anti cipation will allow Member St ates companies, as well as 
individuals, to make better-inf ormed choices and investments. 
 3.6.2 Informal Economy 
Undeclared work is an important issue in th e retail sector. Workers in the informal economy47 
are excluded from existing health coverage and so cial benefits. This entails high social risks, 
and low income and social pr otection, for these workers. Mo reover, the exis tence of an 
informal economy leads to budget revenue losses  through reducing taxes and social security 
contributions paid. Therefore, it adds a higher tax burden on registered labour and affects the 
competitiveness of Member States. 
The Commission will engage all interested partie s in a dialogue to assess the impact of the 
informal economy on working conditions and to de termine how to design an EU approach to 
fight it48. 
The Commission services will work together to en sure that the particularities of the retail 
sector are taken into account when implementing any action designed to combat the informal 
economy.  
Action:  
(11) The Commission will strengthe n cooperation with soci al partners to create 
conditions that make it possibl e to match skills with l abour market needs in the 
retail sector, particularly by identify ing and anticipating skills needs through an 
EU Sectoral Skills Council, and by impr oving retailers' training and reskilling 
policies. 
 3.7 International Dimension 
International trade barriers in retail (to esta blishment and other supply modes, such as 
restrictions on franchising and e-commerce) cons titute a major constraint on growth and jobs 
creation. Currently, as many as 36 million jobs in the EU depend, directly or indirectly, on 
                                                                 
46  http://euskillspanorama.ec.europa.eu/ 
47 Activities and income falling fully or partially outside government regulation and taxation. 
48 In particular the 2013 Commission Work Programme mentions the establishment of a "European 
platform to fight undeclared work". This platform will aim to cover all the key areas influenced by 
undeclared work and to support a more effective fight against undeclared work by way of improving 
cooperation, sharing best practice and identifying common principles. This initiative was announced in 
the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European and 
Economic Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions  "Towards a job-rich recovery " 
(COM(2012)173 final of 18 April 2012also known as the "Employment Package"). 
 
 
19 
 trade. Accessing third-country markets opens important channels for European actors, 
especially SMEs, allowing them to tap into th e growth of those markets. Retail access to 
third-country markets has a significant grow th-multiplication potential for the EU economy. 
European retailers can play an important  role as export drivers by supplying EU-
manufactured products to third countries, pavi ng the way to SMEs' access to markets outside 
the EU. It is accordingly proposed to set up, in cl ose dialogue with the retail sector, an EU 
strategy to open up international trade and addres s existing barriers, in particular by means of: 
− Better gathering of information on third-country trade barriers to retail, in order to help 
the relevant Commission services monitor the implementation of existing Free Trade 
Agreements and prepare future negotiations; and, 
− Improving the SME Helpdesk49, as well as the Export Helpdesk and the Market Access 
databases, in order to extend their respective scopes to cover services.  
 4. CONCLUSION:  CONTINUOUS  DIALOGUE  WITH  THE  RETAIL  
SECTOR 
Given the potential for growth and employment th at retail services can contribute to the EU 
economy as a whole, there is a need for a coherent and holistic strategy addressing the 
bottlenecks which currently hamper their full development. 
Enabling access to more competitive and sustainable retail services, empowering consumers 
to make better informed choices about the produ cts they wish to purchase, developing a more 
balanced retail supply chain, supporting innovative  solutions, bringing res earch results to the 
market faster, and creating a better working envir onment in retail will all contribute to this 
goal. 
The 11 concrete actions50 set out in this Action Plan s hould be implemented by 2014 in order 
to achieve a Single Market in Retail. It is essential that this Action Plan be executed in parallel with other initiatives, in particular those concerning the full implementation of the 
Services Directive, the E-Commerce Action Plan , and the on-going initiatives in the payments 
field. 
The Commission will monitor developments and report on the progress in implementing this 
Action Plan by issuing a report in 2015. This mo nitoring will be done on the basis of the on-
going discussions within the EU in stitutions, with Member States , and with representatives of 
the retail sector and other relevant stake holders through the Group on Retail Competitiveness.
 
                                                                 
49 A specific facility operated by the Commission to addr ess traders’ concerns and enquiries by improving 
its targeted approach towards SMEs. 
50 All actions proposed to be taken up by the Commissi on in this document are consistent and compatible 
with the current Multiannual Fina ncial Framework (2007-2013) and with the proposal for the new 
Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020.