Brussels, 19/10/2005 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 19 October, the European Commission unveiled a major simplification of the Common Agricultural Policy. It suggests amalgamating the existing Common Market Organisations (CMOs) into a single CMO to cut red tape for both farmers and administrations by making the rules more transparent, easier to understand and less burdensome to comply with. Legislation may be unveiled in 2006 following a CAP simplification action plan in 2006 setting out the concrete measures envisaged and taking account of suggestions from Member States and stakeholders. The Commission will also hold a simplification conference in 2006, focusing on the views and needs of stakeholders.
The Commission explains in a press release that it is planning to identify and eliminate unnecessary or out of date provisions through a “legal audit” of existing rules, and to improve the structure and presentation of agricultural law; amalgamate the existing Common Market Organisations (CMOs) into a single CMO. The aim is to provide a single set of harmonised rules in the classic areas of market policy such as intervention, private storage, import tariff quotas, export refunds, safeguard measures, promotion of agricultural products, state aid rules, communications and reporting of data, without changing the substance of the existing instruments and mechanisms; assist national administrations to quantify and reduce burdens imposed on farmers; take account of appropriate suggestions made by Member States and stakeholders; and hold a simplification conference in 2006, focusing on the views and needs of stakeholders; and develop a CAP simplification action plan in 2006 with the concrete measures envisaged.