At a speech to the European Economic and Social Committee in Strasbourg, Mariann Fischer Boel said the health check system is aimed at improving the reform model outlined in 2003.

Reforms of the CAP, first initiated in 2003, are currently a hotly debated policy within the food industry, and critics accuse the European ministers responsible for effectively putting up an unhealthy barrier to trade.

Boel, who is the Member of the European Commission responsible for Agriculture and Rural Development, said that since 2003 "clear benefits are emerging" in the CAP model.

She added that it is not time for a brand new model, but a system which can make sure the reformed CAP is meeting its "objectives as effectively, efficiently and simply as it can."

She said: "This is essentially what the Health Check is about. It's not a fundamental rethink of the CAP - but it's more than "fine-tuning".

The Single Payment Scheme is one of the key innovations of the 2003 reforms. This means farmers receive direct payments which do not depend on current production, called decoupled payments.

Decoupled payments can be reduced based on a farmer's care towards the environment, animal welfare and public health.

Although Boel said the Single Payment Scheme is one of the main pillars of the CAP, it can be made to work better and in places simplified. She said: "We need to look at the implications of some models for applying decoupling.

"There are significant differences in some Member States between the decoupled payments received by different farmers. Some national governments would like to reduce these differences within their territory."

Boel's speech came in response to an EC communication issued on the subject of health checks.

The system is also due to look at a range of issues to do with the milk quotas debate.

Other challenges, including fighting climate change, water management and preserving biodiversity, are also supposed to be targeted by the check system.

"This is no time to rip up our work and start again with a blank sheet of paper. It's time to build on what we've already achieved. This is what I want to do through the Health Check," she added.