AGRICULTURE - Market Sectors - Plant products

Oilseed and protein crops, rice

EU support for arable crops, which used to be provided through a complex system of market measures, has been simplified. Farmers no longer receive subsidies according to what or how much they produce; payments are fully decoupled. The direct payment systemSearch for available translations of the preceding linkEN••• allows them to switch to different crops or types of production in response to market developments.
Since 2008 the different arable crops regimes have been integrated into the Single Common Market Organisation (CMO)Search for available translations of the preceding linkEN••• and EU policy is limited to two main areas: intervention and trade measures.

  • Intervention
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Buying-in cereals and rice to public storage – known as "intervention" - was introduced to protect farmers from low market prices. Today, it is used only in cases of real necessity, providing an authentic safety-net for farmers.

  • Trade
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About 20% of the EU's wheat crop is exported annually, while large quantities of oilseeds, animal feedstuffs and rice are imported.
Imports of rice are subject to the issuing of a standardised import licence and, in general, payment of a tariff. For some cereals tariffs are variable, for others tariffs are fixed. In addition - in accordance with the EU's commitments under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) - a number of fixed tariff import quotas are in place at a lower or zero duty.
Exports of rice to countries outside the EU are mostly subject to the issuing of an export licence.

CerealsIn terms of quantity and area, wheat is by far the most popular cereal grown in the EU, making up nearly half the total. Of the remaining 50%, about one-third is maize and one-third barley. Other cereals grown in smaller quantities include triticale, rye, oats and spelt.
Nearly two-thirds of the EU's cereals are used for animal feed, with around one-third for human consumption. Only 3% is used for biofuels.

Balance sheets

Trade data


>> Price data  
>> Presentations of the EU cereals market situation
>> Detailed information on the EU cereals policy
  
  • Meetings of the CMO
  • Civil Dialogue Groups
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Meetings of the Committee for the Common Organisation of the Agricultural Markets - Live plants & Flowers

Legal basis
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 Search for available translations of the preceding linkEN•••of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/2007

Summary records (drafted and edited by the European Commission) 
Note: The topics of the meetings are mentioned for information purposes only. They are not necessarily exhaustive.
  • 19/01/2016: 148th meeting (School Fruit Scheme, horticultural products, olive oil)
  • 15/12/2015: 140th meeting (School Fruit Scheme, horticultural products, olive oil)
  • 24/11/2015: 134th meeting (School Fruit Scheme, horticultural products, olive oil)
  • 27/10/2015: 128th meeting (School Fruit Scheme, horticultural products, olive oil)
  • 29/09/2015: 118th meeting (School Fruit Scheme, horticultural products, olive oil)
  • 27/08/2015: 116th meeting (Sugar - cereals - fibers - olive oil - animal products)
  • 03/07/2015: 109th meeting (School Fruit Scheme, horticultural products, olive oil)
  • 09/06/2015: 101st meeting (School Fruit Scheme, horticultural products, olive oil)
  • 05/05/2015: 96th meeting (School Fruit Scheme, horticultural products)
  • 14/04/2015: 90th meeting (School Fruit Scheme, horticultural products, olive oil)
  • 17/03/2015: 83rd meeting (School Fruit Scheme, horticultural products)
  • 17/02/2015: 75th meeting (School Fruit Scheme, horticultural products)
  • 29/01/2015: 73rd meeting (Sugar - cereals - fibers - Russian import ban)
  • 13/01/2015: 68th meeting (School Fruit Scheme, horticultural products)
  • 09/12/2014: 63rd meeting (School Fruit Scheme, horticultural products)
  • 18/11/2014: 57th meeting (School Fruit Scheme, horticultural products)
  • 21/10/2014: 50th meeting (School Fruit Scheme, horticultural products)
  • 28/08/2014: 40th meeting (Animal products - horticultural products - arable crops)
  • 16/07/2014: 34th meeting (Wine - School fruit Scheme - horticultural products)
  • 14/01/2014: 1st meeting (Fruit and vegetables, olive oil)


Civil dialogue Groups - Flowers

The Commission publishes all relevant documents such as agendas, minutes, conclusions, partial conclusions or working documents on the activities carried out by the civil dialogue group on horticulture, spirits, olives and flowers.
Exceptions to systematic publication will be made where disclosure of a document would undermine the protection of a public or private interest as defined in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents.
09/11/2016 : "Olives"
18/10/2016 : "Olives"
18/10/2016 : "Fruits and vegetables"
14/10/2016 : "Spirits"
27/05/2016 : "Olives"

15/03/2016 : "Spirit drinks"

26/02/2016 : "Fruit and vegetables"

19/11/2015 : "Olives"

13/10/2015 : "Fruit and vegetables"

06/10/2015 : "Spirit drinks"

02/10/2015 : "Flowers"

10/06/2015 : "Spirit drinks"

05/06/2015 : "Olives"

27/02/2015 : "Fruit and vegetables"

24/02/2015 : "Spirit drinks"
08/12/2014 : "Spirit drinks"
31/10/2014 : "Olives"
10/10/2014 : "Flowers"
01/10/2014 : "Fruit and vegetables"