This chapter discusses principles and consequences of the common agricultural policy (CAP) of the European Community (EC). It shows that agricultural pricing policies aimed at supporting farm incomes were already in place in EC member countries before the inception of the CAP; indeed, in the presence of these policies, the CAP was a logical consequence of the extension of the common market to the agricultural sector. Thus, the flaws of the CAP can be traced back to national policies and attitudes toward agriculture. Recognition of the burden of agricultural support on the rest of the economy, as well as the growing budgetary costs, has elicited a greater public interest in the CAP. Equally, the trade frictions caused by export subsidies have underlined the CAP's international implications. For these reasons, the member states appear more determined than hitherto to bring agricultural expenditure under control. Given the wider effects of the CAP both on EC economies and the international community, it is to be hoped that current efforts at reform will be successful.

Extract: Present trends in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Community (EC), particularly increasing expenditures for agricultural support, will seriously affect the EC's ability to meet other policy needs and hinder enlargement of the Community to include Spain and Portugal. EC policymakers must either keep prices low directly or with producer taxes, or limit quantities covered by support measures. This report examines directions which the CAP may take in view of budgetary and enlargement pressures and indicates potential changes in EC policy.

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is the primary agricultural policy instrument of the European Union. This report focuses on the new features and institutional context of the current CAP 2014-20, adopted by the European Parliament and the European Council in December 2013.

This book engages in the controversies of the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms, demonstrating how these are reiterated by mainstream theoretical approaches in the field. The reforms that the European Union’s CAP underwent during the last three decades were intended to make it less trade-distorting, more taxpayer-friendly and more able to meet the new challenges of environmental concerns and rural development/territorial cohesion. The outcome of the reforms has, however, contradicted these objectives, with the controversies being reiterated by the mainstream theoretical approaches in the field. European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy Reforms argues that these controversies are due to reductionist, rationalist and idealist assumptions with regard to the object of inquiry applied by mainstream approaches. It proposes an alternative critical approach that takes into account the role of real material factors. Critical realism is not just an alternative explanation of CAP reforms but an alternative theory of how explanations can be made, which enables readers to reflect upon and endorse the results of existing lines of research in proceeding towards deeper level theory.

Making often complex concepts easily comprehended, this book enables the reader to quickly build a solid and well-rounded understanding of the EU's history and present, covering: key debates on Europe the ambiguous relationship with the US the EU's internal and external activities structure and institutions future developments and new directions.

This book critically examines the development and current structure of European Union agri-environmental measures at a substantive level. Examining the measures in an integrated manner, showing how they interrelate linking different aspects of European Union agricultural law and policy, this volume examines the legislation adopted at European Union level as well as the impact of particular national measures to implement that legislation. Where appropriate, comparisons are drawn between the manner in which European Union legislation has been implemented among various Member States. Critically assessing European Union and national measures, in the light of other policy pressures such as the influence of world trade agreements and the political pressures exerted by the agricultural sector within the national legal systems of individual Member States, this volume is a valuable resource for academics researching and practitioners working in the areas of European Union environmental and agricultural law.