Member states have today (Monday, October 19) approved a partial negotiating position on a set of updated rules for the common organisation of agricultural markets (CMO).

This is within the framework of the negotiations on the post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the EU’s long-term budget.

The CMO sets out the single market framework for agricultural products across the EU.

The revised regulation would update the EU’s rules for agricultural markets across a number of areas, including sectoral interventions, the EU school scheme, marketing standards and preparedness in time of emergencies and crises.

'Important step'

The Council of the EU's negotiating position is 'partial' because it does not cover financial and horizontal issues.

These are currently being discussed as part of the negotiations on the overall MFF covering the period 2028 to 2034.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon said in relation to the Council of the EU's decision: "Today, we are taking an important step towards shaping the future of Europe’s agricultural markets.

"With today's agreement, our aim is to support a resilient and competitive agri-food sector, strengthen the position of farmers in the food supply chain, and ensure that our citizens can continue to enjoy high-quality food."

Main elements

Under the proposed framework for the EU’s next long-term budget, existing EU funds, including Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) support, would be pooled together into a new National and Regional Partnership Fund (NRPF).

Under the future NRPF, each member state would prepare one single comprehensive plan replacing the current separate plans and programmes for cohesion, agriculture, fisheries, migration and security and the social climate fund.

Under the new arrangements, funding for measures currently covered by the CMO regulation would be governed by the NRPF regulation.

The council’s position maintains the thrust of the European Commission’s proposal and aims to "modernise and strengthen" the CMO and to adapt it to this new framework, while also introducing targeted updates across several agricultural sectors.

Agricultural markets

The overall aim of the provisions on sectoral interventions is to ensure that agricultural markets function efficiently and are stable, as well as to support farmers’ incomes.

In line with the council’s position to ensure a level playing field across the EU, sectoral interventions will be mandatory for certain sectors, namely apiculture, fruit and vegetables and, in certain circumstances, wine.

In order to take into account national specificities, the council introduced the possibility of allowing flexible derogations for the wine sector, to reflect the situation of countries where this sector is not developed.

Protein crops

A separate protein crop and oilseed sector would be established, replacing the current dried fodder sector.

Member states would be encouraged to recognise producer organisations in that new sector for the purposes of the sectoral interventions.

The aim is to boost domestic production, reduce dependence on imports of protein crops, and to enhance the EU’s strategic autonomy in the sector.

EU school scheme

The EU school scheme is the programme that provides member states with funding to supply fruit, vegetables and milk to school children, as well as to carry out educational initiatives.

The scheme will continue under the next MFF and the council position maintains the goal of the commission proposal of promoting healthy food habits among school children, including by limiting the distribution of foods high in free sugars and fats.

Under the new framework, the EU school scheme will transition from a school year to a calendar year.

The council mandate introduces transitional measures to ensure an efficient implementation.

Marketing

The council position provides for the possibility of introducing marketing standards for protein crops, beef, pigmeat, sheepmeat, goatmeat and rice.

The aim of this is for consumers to be better informed about the origin of the products they buy.

In addition, the council maintained the commission’s proposal to harmonise rules on hemp production and marketing to address discrepancies between national rules.

This means that the sector would cover all hemp plant parts.

This harmonisation would promote the alignment of rules EU-wide.

Next steps

The negotiating mandate approved today is the basis for the council's presidency to start negotiations with the European Parliament.

The financial allocation for the 2028-2034 period will depend on the final agreement on the next MFF as a whole.

At the same time, work is underway on the post-2027 CAP regulation, with the aim of agreeing a partial council mandate on that file at the October Agriculture and Fisheries Council.