The EU Common agricultural policy after 2020

Abstract

The EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has a long story of implementation, starting as one of the first common policy of the European Communities still in 1962 and continuing to be among the most important Union policy. In its dynamic history, CAP passed through several reforms made with the aim to better meet the current needs and developments of the agricultural sector in the EU. Starting with the sole purpose to provide enough food for the European population, in less than 2 decades CAP had to meeting the challenge of overproduction, then answer the public need for higher quality and safety food. When the society awareness of the importance of protection of environment and climate change mitigation increased, agricultural policy was enriched with additional objectives which can contribute to the newly identified public priorities. With 2020 approaching and the negotiations for the next Multiannual Financial Framework of the EU started, time comes for discussion of the agricultural policy to be implemented after 2020. The European Commission (EC) presented its vision as well as concrete legal proposals. No fundamental changes in the policy instruments are introduced. The novelties are related mainly with the implementation and what the EC called a move from rules and compliance to results and performance. MS have to identify their specific needs and in a comprehensive CAP Strategic plan demonstrate how, by using the whole CAP instrumentaruim, can meet their needs and at the same time fulfilling the common policy objectives, set by the EU law.