Lobby organisation
Independent Retail Europe (formerly UGAL - Union of Groups of Independent Retailers of Europe)
Business group · Consumer & retail · HQ: Belgium · Transparency Register entry
As of 7 November 2026, Independent Retail Europe (formerly UGAL - Union of Groups of Independent Retailers of Europe) appears in 27 declared MEP meetings (22 different MEPs), most often with Socialists & Democrats.
In their own words
“Established in 1963, Independent Retail Europe is the European trade association that acts as an umbrella organisation for the independent retail sector. Our members are associations and groups of independent retailers, and associations of such groups. In the groups, the retailers are shareholders. As such, they are involved in the group’s strategy and decisions, whilst remaining fully independent SME retailers.”
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“The groups allow for the joint purchasing of goods and services to attain efficiencies and economies of scale, and provide a support network to independent SME member retailers. The members of the groups operate often, but not always, under a common brand name. Independent retail, defined as store-based (nowadays multichannel) retailers who independently operate their own business (usually SMEs and family businesses), constitutes a large part of the retail market in the EU & is essential to retail diversity, consumer choice and the liveliness of local communities across the EU.”
Stated goals from the organisation's own Transparency Register filing.
Who they meet, and when
Which groups they meet
Share of this organisation's 27 declared meetings, by the meeting MEP's political group.
Meetings by year
Declared meetings per calendar year, 2022–2026. Bar length is relative to its busiest year (8 in 2023). Hatched: 2026 is a part-year - the record runs to 6 Nov 2026.
Group is each MEP's current political group, not necessarily the one they sat with at the time. Shares are rounded to whole percent.
The MEPs they meet most
The 15 most recent declared meetings
| Date | MEP | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Jun 2026 | Dirk Gotink | TSC and UTP |
| 24 Apr 2026 | Sebastian Tynkkynen | Digital Omnibus |
| 7 Apr 2026 | Diego Solier | Presentation of Position - Digital Omnibus |
| 3 Jun 2025 | François Kalfon | Priorités IMCO 2024-2029 |
| 24 Apr 2025 | Barry Cowen | Meeting with Independent Retail Europe |
| 8 Apr 2025 | Anna Strolenberg | CMO |
| 3 Apr 2025 | Adnan Dibrani | Regulation on cooperation between enforcement authorities for the UTP Directive |
| 28 Mar 2025 | Tomislav Sokol | Internal market |
| 5 Feb 2025 | Axel Voss | Event on Better Regulation |
| 5 Feb 2025 | Veronika Vrecionová | Priorities of SMEs in the new legislative term |
| 5 Feb 2025 | Ondřej Krutílek | Priorities of SMEs in the new legislative term |
| 3 Dec 2024 | Dirk Gotink | payment systems, digital euro, customs legislation, territorial supply constraints |
| 6 Nov 2024 | Nikola Minchev | Meeting |
| 6 Nov 2024 | Norbert Lins | Sustainable food systems |
| 15 Oct 2024 | Jeannette Baljeu | IMCO priorities |
Meeting an MEP is a normal part of democratic life; the record is shown so anyone can see it.