Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Health Check Legislative Proposals

The EU Commission published legislative proposals on 20 May 2008 to reform the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).   This consultation exercise seeks the views of stakeholders on possible changes to the  CAP as a result of these legislative proposals, which are generally referred to as the CAP ‘Health Check’.  A previous informal consultation on initial EU Commission ideas regarding the Health Check took place in January 2008.

The CAP Health Check is intended to improve and build upon the major reforms agreed in 2003.  The major issues covered by the Health Check include, simplification of the Single Farm Payment (SFP) Scheme, modulation, further decoupling across the EU, phasing out of milk quotas and abolition of set-aside.  Options to make changes to the model of decoupling have also been proposed.  

Responses to this consultation can be emailed to joe.o’reilly@dardni.gov.uk, or sent by post (or fax) to:

The closing date for responses is 5 September 2008.  It will not be possible to consider responses received after this date.  However as EU negotiations are ongoing, it would be desirable to respond to this consultation as early as possible.

Hard copies of the consultation document can be obtained from the address above
A copy of the consultation document and associated documents can be downloaded by following the links below.