The European Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has been a cornerstone of EU agricultural policy since its inception, shaping the agricultural sector and influencing food security across Europe. The latest reforms, CAP 2023-27, aim to modernize the policy, focusing on sustainability, fairness, and performance. This blog post explores the current CAP reforms and their implications for food security.

Overview of CAP 2023-27

The CAP 2023-27, which came into effect on January 1, 2023, marks a significant shift towards a more sustainable and equitable agricultural policy. Key reforms include:

  • Sustainability and Environmental Objectives: The policy aligns with the European Green Deal and Biodiversity Strategy, emphasizing sustainable agriculture practices to enhance environmental protection and biodiversity.

  • Income Support and Fairness: The CAP dedicates at least 10% of direct payments to smaller and medium-sized farms, aiming to address income disparities and support active farmers.

  • Market Orientation and Competitiveness: The policy strengthens farmers' bargaining power and encourages market alignment, ensuring EU farms remain competitive globally.

Impact on Food Security

  1. Enhanced Sustainability: By promoting sustainable farming practices, the CAP contributes to long-term food security by maintaining soil health, conserving biodiversity, and mitigating climate change impacts.

  2. Support for Smaller Farms: The redistributive income support tool helps smaller farms, which are crucial for local food systems and can enhance resilience against global supply chain disruptions.

  3. Market Stability: The CAP's crisis reserve and market measures help stabilize food prices and availability, reducing the risk of food shortages during market fluctuations.

  4. Competitiveness and Trade: By improving farmers' bargaining power and market orientation, the CAP ensures that EU agriculture remains competitive, which is vital for maintaining food security through stable trade relationships.

Challenges and Future Directions

  • Assessment Challenges: The CAP's new governance model offers flexibility but complicates performance assessments due to the variability in national implementations.

  • Environmental vs. Economic Objectives: There is a tension between environmental ambitions and economic needs, with member states often prioritizing economic objectives over environmental ones.

  • Future Reforms: Discussions are ongoing about future CAP reforms, including climate and environmental instruments, income support measures, and risk management tools.

Conclusion

The CAP 2023-27 represents a significant step towards aligning EU agriculture with broader environmental and social goals while maintaining food security. However, challenges remain, particularly in balancing economic and environmental objectives. As the EU continues to evolve its agricultural policies, addressing these challenges will be crucial for ensuring sustainable food systems that support both farmers and consumers.

Citations:

  1. https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/common-agricultural-policy/cap-overview/cap-2023-27_en
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  6. https://www.eucap2025.org
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  8. https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/3226
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  21. https://www.europejacquesdelors.eu/news/unpacking-the-commissions-new-vision-for-agriculture
  22. https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/a-new-architecture-for-the-cap-2023-27/
  23. https://www.tni.org/files/download/CAPpaper-draft_0.pdf
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  25. https://trademagazin.hu/en/az-eu-megreformalna-a-kozos-agrarpolitikat-2/
  26. https://www.nature.com/articles/s44264-024-00027-z
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