CAP reform

The moment for a future-proof EU agriculture and food policy is now

The next reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) should bring agricultural and food policies out of their respective silos and align actions across different areas in support of building sustainable food systems, write Sirpa Pietikainen and Bart Staes.

British have always detested the CAP: What now, with UKAP?

Britain’s business world sees the transition period as a positive achievement, but for the UK it would be like jumping out of the EU plane without a parachute, writes Daniel Guéguen.  

Europe needs more money for research, here’s where to get it

The lack of funding needed to achieve Europe's widely advertised ambitions for global excellence in research and innovation should be addressed in discussing Horizon 2020’s successor. Understanding the challenge and where the money could realistically come from is key, writes Thomas Estermann.

Back to the future: An agricultural conundrum

A drive through the rural areas of the EU is an adventure in landscapes, cuisine, culture and history. The countryside has also been a driver of economic and societal development in the EU since its foundation. With almost 40% of the EU budget going towards the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), its significance cannot be underestimated, writes Fiona Lally.

Hogan’s CAP proposal: failure to launch transition for tax payers, environment

Phil Hogan sent at least one clear message with his communication on “The Future of Food and Farming”: in the future, farm policy will mainly be dealt with from the respective EU capitals, writes Konstantin Kreiser

Fipronil crisis: Why should we keep on using these toxic substances?

The withdrawal of millions of eggs from the market produced in the Netherlands and Belgium should motivate the EU to shift towards a different model of agriculture, argues Martin Dermine.

Brexit is a chance for farming reform – but we must get the policy right

Britain's withdrawal from the EU undoubtedly carries risks but it may also create the opportunity to build a greener, more efficient, and innovative farming sector. If this happens, Ngaire Woods argues, the EU and other economies might follow suit.

CAP reform: From sustainable feed to sustainable food

The German-Hungarian ‘Soya Declaration’ finally gets us talking about what matters in CAP reform, write Olivier De Schutter, Oscar Rivas and Karin Nansen.

Fit for purpose, fair and sustainable: A new agricultural policy is possible

A new study by German environmental NGO NABU (BirdLife Germany) shows how current funding could be used more economically and ecologically. But this drastic change requires political will, warns Konstantin Kreiser.

How a meeting in Cork could save rural Europe

The CAP’s failings mean grassroots movements and national governments are starting to take matters into their own hands. Policymakers at this week’s Cork conference on rural development must take heed, write Stanka Becheva and Ramona Duminicioiu.

Brexit: A step forwards or backwards for a Greener Europe?

Environmental action is one of the triumphs of the EU. The UK’s contribution and ambition in this area is likely to be sorely missed, write Viviane Gravey, Andrew Jordan and Charlotte Burns.

Bringing an end to the never-ending milk crisis

A temporary 'slimming down' scheme for the milk sector, led by the European Commission, would provide a strong EU-wide response to rebalance the market. With €500 million, the quantity of milk available on the market could be reduced by more than 2 million tonnes, writes Yves Madre.

CAP and animal welfare: Simply incompatible

Livestock production has been at the centre of the intensification in agriculture brought by Europe's Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), writes Olga Kikou. These policies have put farmers under pressure, and created conditions for overproduction, she says.

Is the CAP simplification exercise “better regulation”?

The Commission’s proposed reform of the Common Agricultural Policy looks more like a waste of public money than an exercise in “better regulation”, argues Angelo Caserta.

How to kill off successful environmental schemes in Europe’s agriculture policy

As Brussels returns from its summer break there is one piece of unfinished business before the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) political saga for 2014-2020 can be put to rest. Negotiators from the European Parliament and the Council will lock horns in trilogue on two different ways to use the funds, one of which is more green than the other, writes Tony Long.

Chances of a greener CAP are on the line

Unless there is substantial movement on greening measures and other critical issues in the still-evolving Common Agricultural Policy for 2014-2020, the objective of creating a new purpose and rationale for the CAP is sliding into the sand, argues David Baldock.

CAP conclave: Hiding behind a green smokescreen

Dacian Ciolo? is stuck between a rock and a hard place over the Common Agricultural Policy he first proposed. He will need to show extraordinary resolve to overcome a possible travesty of democracy in the upcoming trialogue, argue Ariel Brunner and Pieter de Pous.

CAP reform: A promising start could end in disappointment

With a far broader range of stakeholders than in former times and more decisionmaking power for the European Parliament, there was hope that the CAP debate would lead to reforms that would meet the current and coming challenges for agriculture. Yet the EU could be on course for a disappointing outcome, say Cordula Rutz and Jörg Schramek.

It’s not too late to save Europe’s farm policy from special interests

With negotiations on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) moving towards an end-game, it is not too late to forge a deal that will help European farmers and the environment, argues Tony Long.

Greener CAP is a good deal for both farmers and the environment

Around €100 billion out of a global CAP budget of €363 billion for the period 2014-2020 will be dedicated to the protection of natural resources after last week's agreement on the EU's long term budget, writes Dacian Ciolo?. The challenge now is to define concrete measures to make a real difference for the environment and to secure the long term competitiveness of EU farmers.

EU leaders should see bio-based industries as fuel for recovery

The contribution of agriculture and the EU’s Horizon 2020 research strategy to green growth and job creation should feature high on the agenda when EU leaders discuss the long-term budget this week, argue Steen Riisgaard and Guido Ghisolfi.

No more blank cheques for agriculture

The next phase of the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) looks likely to be the continuation of the blank cheques of long-standing agriculture subsidies, an outcome that will be completely incomprehensible to the public, argue six European conservation, farm and rural groups.

Europe needs to nurture a new generation of farmers

The Common Agricultural Policy's reform needs to be decoupled from strict, technical standards that will be unappealing to younger generations if we are to have a sustainable farm policy, writes Staffan Nilsson.