A report from the European Commission to the European Parliament and the Council, published on 10 July 2026, assesses how EU competition rules under the Common Market Organisation (CMO) Regulation have been applied to the agricultural sector across all Member States from July 2017 to July 2025. The report finds that agriculture-specific exclusions from Article 101(1) TFEU are actively used, with increasing collective negotiations in the milk sector and new sustainability agreements emerging, while the Commission maintains oversight through opinions and investigations.
The CMO Regulation provides agriculture-specific exclusions from standard competition rules, covering horizontal cooperation among farmers and producer organisations, vertical cooperation through interbranch organisations, sustainability agreements, and crisis measures. In 2020, the Commission issued a positive opinion on a Spanish olive oil voluntary storage mechanism under Article 209 CMO. Nine Member States (Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Germany, Spain, France, Netherlands, Slovakia, Finland) reported collectively negotiated raw milk deliveries under Article 149 CMO in 2024, totalling over 32.3 million tonnes (22% of EU milk deliveries), up from 18.7% in 2018. In 2024, there were 2,894 recognised producer organisations and 90 recognised associations of producer organisations in the EU. The Commission dealt with four vertical cooperation cases under Article 210 CMO since 2018, all found compatible with EU law. In July 2025, the Commission issued its first opinion under Article 210a CMO on a sustainability agreement in the French wine sector, finding it compatible.
The report confirms that the sector-specific competition framework is operational and evolving. The increase in collective milk negotiations benefits dairy farmers by strengthening their bargaining power vis-à-vis processors, potentially leading to higher producer prices. However, it may raise concerns for dairy processors and retailers about supply concentration and price increases. The emergence of sustainability agreements under Article 210a offers a legal pathway for sector-wide environmental initiatives, but the requirement for Commission opinions may create administrative burdens and uncertainty for applicants. The report does not propose legislative changes but serves as a factual review for the European Parliament and Council to consider whether adjustments to the CMO competition rules are needed.