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Targeted amendment to the CMO and other CAP Regulations strengthening farmers position in the food supply chain

Agriculture and rural development

This initiative sets out targeted amendments to the Common Market Organisation Regulation and other regulations relating to the common agricultural policy.

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Public consultation

ID: 14481

Lobbying Activity

56 responses

BEUC warns farm reforms risk raising consumer food prices

Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs, 7 Feb 2025

The organization demands a robust impact assessment to ensure that impacts on consumers and food affordability are not overlooked. They recommend against expanding competition law derogations, arguing that social sustainability goals should be supported through agricultural subsidies instead. BEUC supports requiring written contracts and increasing market transparency to help shed some light on price formation.
Mandatory impact reports would help BEUC monitor and challenge policies that increase living costs.
Shoppers lose as weakened competition laws may lead to higher prices without benefiting farmers.

EuroCommerce Warns Against Overregulating Food Supply Chain Contracts

EuroCommerce, 10 Mar 2025

EuroCommerce urges legislators to preserve market orientation and freedom of contract. They recommend avoiding competition rule exemptions and reducing new administrative burdens. Mandatory written contracts and public registries should be reconsidered to maintain efficiency.
This would lower operational costs and maintain flexibility in commercial negotiations.
Consumers and smaller farmers could face higher costs and reduced competition.

Eurogroup for Animals urges EU to regulate horse meat

Eurogroup for Animals, 5 Mar 2025

The group wants horse meat included in the regulation's scope for marketing standards. They request mandatory country-of-origin labeling to improve transparency and food safety.
Regulation would protect the internal market from imports produced under poor conditions.
Intermediaries and foreign suppliers lose profits from opaque and cruel trade chains.

Oxfam urges EU to align farm pricing with fair trade

OXFAM INTERNATIONAL EU ADVOCACY OFFICE, 10 Mar 2025

Oxfam demands that the definition of 'fair' relations align with Fair Trade principles to prevent 'fairwashing'. They advocate for pricing that covers the economic, social, and environmental costs of production. They also support mandatory pre-financing for producers.
This ensures the Fair Trade movement’s standards are legally recognized and protected from market dilution.
Companies using vague sustainability claims would lose the ability to engage in "fairwashing."

FoodDrinkEurope Warns Against One-Size-Fits-All Food Chain Rules

FoodDrinkEurope, 10 Mar 2025

FoodDrinkEurope advocates for a flexible, sector-specific approach to contract rules to avoid disrupting diverse industries. They request clearer definitions for sustainability terms and a thorough assessment of administrative burdens on SMEs.
Exemptions would prevent increased administrative costs and protect established hedging mechanisms for price stability.
Small businesses and consumers may suffer from market fragmentation and potential disruptions to food supplies.

spiritsEUROPE urges removal of mandatory producer name labeling rules

spiritsEUROPE, 20 Feb 2025

The group seeks a review of rules requiring producer names on labels. They request the deletion of Article 37(5) to protect established business models. Alternatively, they advocate for a flexible interpretation allowing suppliers to remain anonymous.
This would protect unique brand identities and maintain vital revenue for producers.
Independent brand owners and SMEs would face business failure without supplier anonymity.

Deutsche Umwelthilfe urges mandatory cost-covering prices for farmers

Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V., 10 Mar 2025

They demand a "mandatory EU-wide regulation for cost-covering pricing" to strengthen farmers' positions. They request "stricter rules for exemptions" and distance labels for "short supply chains." They reject a "blanket exception for cooperatives" to prevent undermining the "effectiveness" of rules.
Farmers can pass on costs associated with meeting higher environmental production standards.
Large cooperatives would lose the ability to dictate prices to their members.

Danish Chamber of Commerce warns against agricultural supply chain overregulation

The Danish Chamber of Commerce, 10 Mar 2025

The Danish Chamber of Commerce calls for preserving market orientation and avoiding interference with freedom of contract. They urge the Commission to reconsider mandatory written contracts and registries to reduce administrative burdens.
Maintaining current market dynamics prevents increased administrative costs and preserves competitive pricing flexibility.
Consumers may face higher prices and reduced choice if competition rules are weakened.

European young farmers urge stronger bargaining power in food chain

CONSEIL EUROPEEN DES JEUNES AGRICULTEURS, 7 Mar 2025

CEJA supports mandatory written contracts and revision clauses to provide price predictability for farmers. They advocate for specific incentives to better integrate young farmers into producer organisations. Finally, they call for a broader revision of crisis management tools post-2027.
These reforms would help young farmers overcome price pressures and build viable agricultural businesses.
Retailers and processors lose the ability to enforce standards without implementing genuine fair practices.

Consultation response

Independent Retail Europe (formerly UGAL - Union of Groups of Independent Retailers of Europe), 7 Mar 2025

Independent Retail Europe generally views positively measures to strengthen the position of farmers since groups of independent retailers are dependent on a competitive and resilient agricultural sector for a sustainable and resilient food supply chain. That being said, we consider it highly…

Confcommercio seeks broader definition for short supply chains

CONFCOMMERCIO - IMPRESE PER L'ITALIA, 10 Mar 2025

Confcommercio argues that short supply chains should include limited commercial middlemen instead of only direct sales. They also seek clear legal definitions to prevent market fragmentation and avoid excessive administrative burdens.
Including intermediaries allows commercial retail members to use premium marketing labels for their products.
Direct-sale farmers lose the exclusive marketing advantage of the short supply chain designation.

Fair Trade Advocacy Office urges stricter EU fair labeling standards

Stichting Fair Trade Advocacy Office, 6 Mar 2025

The FTAO recommends aligning with the vision of the International Fair Trade Charter. They urge that prices ensure that it covers, at least, the cost of sustainable production. Additionally, labels must have certification and verification systems audited by a third party.
Stricter definitions protect established fair trade groups from being displaced by competitors using lower standards.
Lower-standard operators would no longer be able to use fair trade branding for marketing purposes.

FNSEA urges stronger farmer bargaining power and price updates

Fédération Nationale des Syndicats d'Exploitants Agricoles, 10 Mar 2025

The organization supports mandatory contracts using objective cost indicators to ensure fair remuneration. They demand that producer groups become sole negotiators and call for updating outdated market intervention prices.
This would boost farmer income and provide better protection against market price drops.
Plant-based food companies and industrial buyers would face tighter marketing rules and costs.

Meat industry group UECBV rejects mandatory contracts for livestock

Union Européenne du Commerce du Bétail et des Métiers de la Viande, 10 Mar 2025

UECBV requests exempting small livestock sales from mandatory contracts to prevent high administrative costs. They suggest extending payment windows to 14 days and removing production cost requirements.
Limiting contract requirements would reduce administrative expenses and preserve flexible, market-based pricing models.
Farmers lose the security of having their actual production costs reflected in mandatory contract terms.

European Milk Board urges mandatory cost-covering prices in dairy contracts

European Milk Board, 11 Feb 2025

The organization demands mandatory contracts with cost-covering prices including fair producer remuneration, with no exemption for cooperatives. They request prices must exceed production costs and want a new crisis instrument through the Milk Market Observatory.
This would guarantee dairy farmers receive prices above their production costs and fair remuneration.
Dairy cooperatives lose their exemption from mandatory contracts and pricing requirements.

European Dairy Association rejects mandatory milk producer contracts proposal

European Dairy Association aisbl, 10 Mar 2025

EDA strongly opposes the introduction of compulsory written contracts between milk producers and buyers. They advocate for maintaining the current voluntary framework to ensure market flexibility and subsidiarity.
Maintaining the voluntary status quo avoids increased administrative burdens and protects established cooperative models.
EU policy goals for faster price transmission and market transparency would be undermined.

Austrian farm chamber demands national control over agricultural contracts

Landwirtschaftskammer Österreich, 10 Mar 2025

The organization demands that rules for contracts and pricing remain under national control. They call for a cost-benefit analysis to ensure changes do not create bureaucracy. Existing producer organizations must be protected from competition with uncertified groups.
Maintaining national autonomy helps farmers avoid disadvantageous price terms and import competition.
Uncertified producer organizations lose the opportunity to gain equal legal and competitive standing.

Finnish food industry warns against unilateral contract exit rights

Finnish Food and Drink Industries' Federation (Elintarviketeollisuusliitto ry), 10 Mar 2025

ETL opposes granting farmers unilateral rights to withdraw from contracts and calls for bilateral renegotiations. They also demand the removal of mandatory contract registration to reduce administrative burdens.
Maintaining current rules ensures raw material security and prevents new administrative costs for processors.
Farmers would lose the proposed legal right to exit long-term contracts during market shifts.

COCERAL warns contract revision clause threatens grain forward markets

Comité du commerce des céréales, aliments du bétail, oléagineux, huile d'olive, huiles et graisses et agrofournitures de l'U.E., 28 Feb 2025

COCERAL requests removing the contract revision clause for grains to protect forward trading. They also propose allowing contracts to be finalized after delivery and extending exemptions to medium-sized firms.
Removing the clause prevents traders from incurring losses on existing commercial commitments.
Logistics firms and consumers could suffer from supply disruptions and higher food prices.

FEDIOL demands removal of contract revision clause for oilseeds

The EU Vegetable Oil and Proteinmeal Industry, 10 Mar 2025

FEDIOL requests the removal of the revision clause for contracts in the oilseeds sector. They argue allowing farmers to renegotiate would stop buyers from meeting their own commitments.
This exemption would allow them to continue using financial markets to manage price volatility.
Downstream food manufacturers and consumers could face higher costs and broken supply chains.

Consultation response

COMITE EUROPEEN des FABRICANTS de SUCRE, 10 Mar 2025

SUMMARY CEFS consistent position is to maintain unchanged the current and longstanding provisions on contractualisation in Art. 125 and Annex X of the Single CMO Regulation, which take into account the unique specificities of the sugar sector and its contractualisation practices in a balanced and…

La Coopération Agricole urges EU to exempt cooperatives from contract rules

La Coopération Agricole, 10 Mar 2025

The organization asks the OCM to fully account for the specific contracting within cooperatives. They claim mandatory commercial contracts would weaken the cooperative system and its unique protections. They warn that extending competition exemptions to unrecognized producer organizations would destabilize food sectors.
This avoids applying counterproductive and superfluous contracting requirements while protecting the cooperative business model.
Unrecognized producer groups are denied competition law exemptions which the organization believes would destabilize sectors.

Consultation response

Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de España, 5 Mar 2025

We welcome the initiative of the EU institutions and Member States to put producers at the centre of the debate on agriculture and livestock farming, the need to improve their position in the value chain and to recognise that the profitability of the primary sector is necessary for the market to…

Beet growers urge updated sugar thresholds to combat inflation

International Confederation of European Beet Growers, 10 Feb 2025

The organization requests that sugar beet growers be included in all contract improvements. They also propose updating the sugar price threshold to reflect inflation and current production costs.
An updated price threshold would help growers recover significantly higher production costs.
Sugar processors and consumers may face higher prices due to updated thresholds.

German agricultural cooperatives reject mandatory EU farm contract rules

Deutscher Raiffeisenverband e.V., 10 Mar 2025

The DRV opposes mandatory EU-wide contract requirements and strict pricing regulations. They argue for keeping the choice of implementation with individual member states.
Avoiding these rules prevents legal uncertainty and preserves the cooperatives' administrative independence.
Farmers might see price drops and lose access to essential risk management tools.

Coordination Rurale demands import reciprocity and market volume controls

Coordination Rurale Union Nationale, 7 Mar 2025

The organization wants to ensure a fair income for producers. They demand that imports follow European environmental and health standards. They suggest reducing production volumes during crises.
These measures would protect their income from cheap foreign competition and market volatility.
Non-EU trading partners would lose market access due to strict new production requirements.

Freshfel Europe demands exemption from mandatory written contracts

Freshfel Europe - the forum for the European fresh fruits and vegetables chain, 10 Mar 2025

The organization requests an exemption from mandatory written contracts for every delivery to avoid administrative burdens. They also oppose new limits on the representativeness and membership rules for producer organizations.
Exemptions would prevent significant administrative and financial costs while maintaining the speed of business operations.
Growers and consumers lose as mandatory paperwork creates unrealistic burdens and increases food waste.

Austrian Chamber of Labour claims farm reforms harm consumers

Bundesarbeitskammer Österreich, 7 Mar 2025

The organization requests a full impact assessment and the involvement of all stakeholders. They oppose new competition law exemptions and labels that ignore social or welfare standards.
Blocking these reforms avoids food price hikes and preserves transparent consumer labeling standards.
Consumers face higher food prices while farm workers lose out on social protections.

Irish dairy co-ops urge EU to maintain flexible supply contracts

Irish Co-operative Organisation Society Ltd., 6 Mar 2025

The organization urges the EU to safeguard the co-operative model and avoid imposing mandatory written contracts. They argue that member states should retain the flexibility to decide if such contracts are necessary and avoid unnecessary mediation requirements.
This would prevent new administrative burdens and protect the existing producer-owned business structure.
EU efforts to create a uniform, transparent agricultural market across all member states are weakened.

Italian farmers demand mandatory contracts in food supply chain

Cia Agricoltori italiani, 10 Mar 2025

Cia Agricoltori Italiani requests mandatory written contracts for all sectors and opposes volume limits. They also reject extending competition law exemptions to non-recognized producer organizations.
These measures would ensure fair income and protect farmers from unilateral market changes.
Non-recognized cooperatives lose proposed legal benefits, preventing competition with established producer organizations.

Starch Europe warns mandatory contract revisions threaten industry stability

STARCH EUROPE, 10 Mar 2025

Starch Europe opposes mandatory revision clauses for contracts longer than six months. They propose excluding wheat, maize, peas, and starch potatoes from this requirement. They also request a thorough impact assessment before these clauses are adopted.
Avoiding these rules protects producers from net losses and maintains long-term supply stability.
Farmers lose the new legal right to renegotiate their prices when markets shift.

Consultation response

Danish Dairy Board Brussels s.a., 10 Mar 2025

The Danish Dairy Board (DDB) represents the Danish dairy industry which consists of cooperatives and privately owned dairies. DDB are disappointed that the proposal has been prepared without prior impact analysis and without considering the needs of the sectors in the individual countries. We see…

Consultation response

Danske Slagterier SA, 10 Mar 2025

Danske Slagterier SA, which represents cooperative and private slaughterhouses, welcomes the opportunity to provide to the proposal concerning the Strengthening of the position of farmers in the food supply chain. Introductory comments Firstly, we agree that the farmers´ situation is an important…

Consultation response

GroentenFruit Huis, 7 Mar 2025

About Fresh Produce Centre: Fresh Produce Centre / GroentenFruit Huis is an industry body from the Netherlands that represents the interests of vegetable and fruit producers / growers, their Producer Organisations, traders and wholesalers, export companies, etc. The members of Fresh Produce Centre…

Consultation response

ECOCERT SA, 7 Mar 2025

Le Groupe ECOCERT est engagé dans la promotion de pratiques agricoles durables et dune juste rémunération des producteurs. Nous suivons de près lévolution des réglementations européennes visant à renforcer la transparence et léquité dans les relations commerciales agricoles. Nous saluons…

Consultation response

Milchindustrie-Verband e.V., 10 Mar 2025

MIV, the association of the German dairy industry, would like to make the following comments on art. 148 CMO: The proposed measures to reinforce contractual relations in the milk sector (art. 148 CMO) will not strengthen the position of farmers in the food supply chain. On the contrary, the current…

Consultation response

Assemblée des Régions Européennes Fruitières, Légumières et Horticoles, 3 Mar 2025

The new initiative issued by the Commission on December 10 presents several positive elements that could significantly enhance the sector. In particular, the emphasis on democratic oversight regarding PO decisions and budgets is a welcome development, ensuring more transparency and accountability.…

Consultation response

World Fair Trade Organization - Europe, 10 Mar 2025

The World Fair Trade Organization-Europe (WFTO-Europe) acknowledges and supports the efforts of the European Commission to improve the position of farmers in agri-food supply chains. The proposal for setting conditions under which the terms fair, equitable and equivalents may be used could help…

Consultation response

Fairtrade Deutschland e.V., 10 Mar 2025

Fairtrade Deutschland e.V. welcomes the European Commissions initiative to strengthen farmers positions in the agri-food supply chain. Some key aspects of the proposed regulation have to be revised in order to prevent misuse through insufficient definitions of fair and equitable. There are already…

Consultation response

Unión de Uniones de Agricultores y Ganaderos, 10 Mar 2025

El documento que se adjunta presenta las observaciones de la Unión de Uniones de Agricultores y Ganaderos a la propuesta de Reglamento del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo que modifica los Reglamentos (UE) n.º 1308/2013, (UE) 2021/2115 y (UE) 2021/2116 para reforzar la posición de los agricultores…

Consultation response

Stichting Wageningen Research, 5 Mar 2025

Input from Wageningen University & Research in reply to the consultation concerning targeted amendments to the Common Market Organisation Regulation and other regulations relating to the common agricultural policy We would like to thank the European Commission for its public consultation concerning…

Consultation response

Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International e.V., 10 Mar 2025

Kindly find the feedback of Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International e.V. (Fairtrade International) attached. Thank you

Consultation response

Confederação Nacional das Cooperativas Agrícolas e do Crédito Agrícola de Portugal, 10 Mar 2025

The simplification proposals are a good step in the effort to improve the position of farmers in the food chain, it must be noted that it is essential not only to simplify, but also to make efforts to streamline existing legislation, both European and national. Several positive elements are…

Consultation response

Syndicat National des Fabricants de Sucre, 10 Mar 2025

Le Syndicat National des Fabricants de Sucre de France apporte sa contribution à la consultation publique relative à la révision ciblée du règlement européen portant organisation commune des marchés agricoles : cf. document en annexe (FR-EN) Extraits : Le SNFS partage lobjectif politique de la…

Consultation response

UNION DE PEQUEÑOS AGRICULTORES Y GANADEROS, 10 Mar 2025

UPA está totalmente de acuerdo con la propuesta que plantea la Comisión europea. De los elementos de dicha reforma con los que UPA está totalmente de acuerdo y que nos parecen definitivos para reforzar la posición de los agricultores dentro de la cadena alimentaria, cabe señalar: 1. Todas las…

Consultation response

Dutch Produce Association, 7 Mar 2025

Dutch Produce Association is an industry body from the Netherlands that represents the interests of all recognized Fruit and Vegetables Producer Organisations in the Netherlands. Our number in EU- transparency register is 18466902007-33 DPA welcomes the opportunity to react on the REGULATION OF THE…

Consultation response

Fédération Française de la Coopération Fruitière, Légumière et Horticole, 7 Mar 2025

Si nous partageons totalement les objectifs affichés par la Commission sur le renforcement de la position des agriculteurs dans la chaîne d'approvisionnement agroalimentaire, les modifications proposées ne répondent pas aux objectifs affichés et conduiront à l'affaiblissement des OP et des AOP déjà…

Consultation response

FEDERATION NATIONALE BOVINE, 7 Mar 2025

Dun point de vue général, la FNB accueille favorablement la proposition de la Commission européenne (CE) de modifier, dune manière ciblée, le règlement OCM. En effet, la reprise de la construction du prix en marche, à linstar de la loi EGAlim française, tout en prenant en compte les coûts de…

European nurseries call for flexible rules in supply chain

EUROPEAN NURSERYSTOCK ASSOCIATION npo (ENA), 10 Mar 2025

ENA requests making written contracts voluntary for most transactions. They want electronic communications accepted as valid agreements. They seek to keep cost prices confidential.
This reduces administrative burdens and allows flexible inventory management through discounted sales.
National authorities lose oversight if contract registration becomes voluntary and harmonized.

Consultation response

European Flour Millers, 6 Mar 2025

Flour milling is the leading food industry in grain processing in Europe, with more than 3 800 mills and a large majority of SMEs using around 47 million tonnes of wheat, rye and oats each year. A resilient, competitive and sustainable flour milling sector is crucial for ensuring food security and…

Consultation response

Comité de Liaison des Interprofessions Agricoles et Agroalimentaires, 10 Mar 2025

Le CLIAA fédère aujourdhui 51 interprofessions agricoles et agroalimentaires, et a pour objectif de structurer les échanges et la coordination entre elles, afin de mutualiser les réflexions, notamment sur des sujets relatifs à leur cadre réglementaire et économique dintervention. Les sujets…

Consultation response

WELFARM, 10 Mar 2025

Vous trouverez en pièce jointe la contribution de WELFARM-Protection Mondiale des Animaux de Ferme. WELFARM est une association française de protection des animaux d'élevage. Son activité est reconnue d'utilité publique.

Consultation response

APFeL Sud-Ouest, 10 Mar 2025

APFeL Sud-Ouest brings together 36 Producers' Organisations (POs) of [20 products, 2000 producers, VMC 600 M). Our main tasks are to understand the market, to carry out projects to improve production and marketing, and generally to defend the interests of our members (mostly POs, but also…

Consultation response

Krajowy Związek Plantatorów Buraka Cukrowego, 7 Mar 2025

Krajowy Związek Plantatorów Buraka Cukrowego (KZPBC) zapoznał się z propozycją Komisji Europejskiej dotyczącą zmiany rozporządzenia Parlamentu Europejskiego i Rady (UE) nr 1308/2013 w zakresie wzmocnienia pozycji rolników w łańcuchu dostaw żywności. Proponowane zmiany, mające na celu poprawę…

Consultation response

Max Havelaar France, 6 Mar 2025

LONG Max Havelaar France, membre fondateur du mouvement international Fairtrade, agit pour un commerce équitable. Avec le label Fairtrade, elle mobilise les entreprises et les consommateurs afin de transformer les chaînes dapprovisionnement vers plus de durabilité et déquité dans plus de 130 pays…

Consultation response

DER AGRARHANDEL - Bundesverband Agrarhandel und Verein der Getreidehändler der Hamburger Börse e.V., 27 Feb 2025

From the perspective of private agricultural trade companies, the draft amendment to the Common Market Organisation interferes with the contractual autonomy of the respective parties in a very comprehensive manner. We would therefore have considered it essential for an impact assessment to be…