Press Release: Simplifying the Common Agricultural Policy: Council backs ‘single Common Market Organisation’

European Union agriculture ministers have backed a European Commission proposal to establish a single Common Market Organisation for all agricultural products, to replace the existing 21 CMOs. The move is a major step in the ongoing process of streamlining and simplifying the Common Agricultural Policy for the benefit of farmers, administrations and companies handling agricultural products. The creation of a single CMO will slim down legislation in the farming sector, improve its transparency and make the policy more easily accessible. It is an example of applied better regulation and therefore forms an integral part of the Lisbon strategy. The creation of a single CMO is the most significant technical simplification of the CAP yet undertaken. It should not be interpreted as a way to reform the policy by the back door. The single CMO allows the repeal of almost 50 Council acts and replaces more than 650 legal articles in the current regulations with around 200.