Policies for sustainable agriculture and rural development
Abstract
I have come here today to talk on the development of the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) over the last 45 years. The Policy was devised for farmers. The 1957 Treaty of Rome, which established the European Community, stipulated that the CAP had to guarantee the income of farmers. But after several years of evolution, other parties have entered into the Policy’s calculations. Increasingly, the farming community’s power has been confined by scientists, by taxpayers, by consumers and by animal welfare and environmental groups. Today, the CAP responds to this variety of interests, rather than solely the farming community. In other words, the Policy offers a holistic approach, balancing the costs and benefits to all the citizens of the Union. What does Europe want from its Agricultural Policy?