UTP enforcement without borders: a new reality for the EU agri-food supply chain

Following a comprehensive legislative process, Regulation (EU) 2026/697 on cooperation among enforcement authorities (EAs) was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 20 March 2026. The Regulation establishes an enhanced framework for national authorities to cooperate on investigating and penalising unfair trading practices that cross Member State borders, signalling a significant shift towards more harmonised and robust enforcement in the agricultural and food supply chain.

The provisions of the Regulation will become directly applicable in all Member States on 10 September 2027, with no national transposition required.

For businesses operating across the EU, the Regulation materially heightens compliance risk by enabling more coordinated, faster and far reaching enforcement action.