The Fairness Office
The Fairness Office is a contact point providing free assistance to farmers having questions or complaints concerning a possible abuse of the market power exerted by large food wholesalers. It offers anonymous, fast and unbureaucratic help and advice.
Everyday our farmers produce food of excellent quality. With their work, they and the small processing enterprises contribute to the quality of life we all enjoy. To ensure that this will continue we need honest partnerships of equals.
If here or there big ones deliberately abuse their market power, this affects our agriculture and, ultimately, consumers. Therefore, we provided legal framework conditions ensuring that unfair business practices, such as unilateral changes to delivery terms, cancellation of orders for perishable food at short notice, or threats of consequences against unbending suppliers, will be a thing of the past.
Independent contact point
To help persons affected enforce their rights the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Regions and Water Management established an independent Fairness Office (“Fairness-Büro”) which is not bound by instructions and which farmers and associations of producers and suppliers can contact. It offers unbureaucratic assistance and advice and provides an unbiased assessment of the complaint. All concerns are treated free of charge, anonymously and confidentially.
Contact
Phone: 01 / 710 95 18 – 602600
Email: office@fairness-buero.gv.at
Address: Ferdinandstraße 4, 1020 Vienna