The Council of the European Union last week approved creating a universal hemp framework. The move is intended to harmonize hemp industry regulations and address discrepancies across EU member states.
The Council announced the new position as part of its latest negotiations for updating the Common Organisation of the Markets (CMO). The CMO organizes and supports the bloc’s agricultural policy.
The framework would cover all parts of the hemp plant, including the flower. Under the proposal, hemp grown in the EU would need to come from a variety registered with the Common Catalogue of Varieties of Agricultural Plant Species.
The Council’s position now forms part of the ongoing CMO negotiation process. The framework would replace the current patchwork of member state rules with aligned regulations EU-wide.
The law states that covering the flower “provides farmers with additional opportunities to valorise the plant beyond fibre production, making hemp a more attractive and competitive crop,” according to an excerpt from a press release.
The same press release excerpt says the harmonisation “would promote the alignment of rules EU-wide, guaranteeing a level playing field.”
The provisions would uphold public health protection by keeping strict seed certification. The framework would also maintain a 0.3% Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) threshold.
These requirements are presented as safeguards accompanying the expanded scope of the crop. The Council framed the package as both an economic and public health measure.
Currently, hemp regulations vary from one member state to another, creating discrepancies for operators across the bloc. A unified framework would apply consistent rules throughout the EU market.
For farmers, the inclusion of the flower opens opportunities beyond fibre production. The Council says this makes hemp a more attractive and competitive crop.
The 0.3% THC threshold and seed certification requirements would remain in place under the new framework. These provisions are designed to keep public health protections intact while harmonizing rules.
The Council’s approval represents its negotiating position in the CMO update talks. The proposal will move forward through the EU legislative process as negotiations continue.
This week's digest spans three continents. South Africa's cannabis reform remains stalled in prohibition-era logic, Brazil's industry prepares to debate…
GOP Lawmaker Urges Hemp THC Fix In Filibuster-Proof Reconciliation Bill After Midterms A Republican congressman is raising the possibility that…
New Lawsuit Targets Texas Smokable Hemp Ban A new lawsuit has been filed seeking to overturn Texas' ban on smokable…
Two Studies Find Dispensaries Reduce Crime and Boost Local Business Two new studies report that neighborhoods with state-licensed cannabis dispensaries…
Comedians Step In To Untangle A Confusing Ballot Question Voters in Massachusetts could be forgiven for being confused about how…
Voters Face Nearly 150 Ballot Measures Voters in more than three dozen states across the country will determine the fate…
