European farm policy down the years : a partnership between Europe and farmers.
Date: 2012-02-06
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development
Subjects: common agricultural policy, history of Europe

D FARMERS
PE AN

YEARS
of Common Agricultural Policy
Ready for the future
A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN EURO

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ПАРТНЬОРСТВО МЕЖДУ ЕВРОПА И СЕЛСКОСТОПАНСКИТЕ ПРОИЗВОДИТЕЛИ
UNA ASOCIACIÓN ENTRE EUROPA Y LOS AGRICULTORES
PARTNERSTVÍ MEZI EVROPOU A ZEMĚDĚLCI
ET PARTNERSKAB MELLEM EUROPA OG LANDMÆND
EINE PARTNERSCHAFT ZWISCHEN EUROPA UND LANDWIRTEN
EUROOPA JA TALUNIKE PARTNERLUS
ΜΙΑ ΣΥΜΠΡΑΞΗ ΕΥΡΩΠΗΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΓΡΟΤΩΝ
A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN EUROPE AND FARMERS
UN PARTENARIAT ENTRE L'EUROPE ET LES AGRICULTEURS
UNA PARTNERSHIP TRA L'EUROPA E GLI AGRICOLTORI
EIROPAS UN LAUKSAIMNIEKU PARTNERĪBA
PARTNERYSTĖ TARP EUROPOS IR ŪKININKŲ 
PARTNERSÉG EURÓPA ÉS A GAZDÁLKODÓK KÖZÖTT
SĦUBIJA BEJN L-EWROPA U L-BDIEWA
EEN PARTNERSCHAP TUSSEN EUROPA EN LANDBOUWERS 
PARTNERSTWO MIĘDZY EUROPĄ A ROLNIKAMI
UMA PARCERIA ENTRE A EUROPA E OS AGRICULTORES
UN PARTENERIAT ÎNTRE EUROPA ŞI AGRICULTORI
PARTNERSTVO MEDZI EURÓPOU A POĽNOHOSPODÁRMI
PARTNERSTVO MED EVROPO IN KMETI
EUROOPPA JA VILJELIJÄT KUMPPANEINA
ETT PARTNERSKAP MELLAN EUROPA OCH JORDBRUKARE

http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/50-years-of-cap

YEARS
of Common Agricultural Policy
A Partnership between
YEARS
Europe and Farmers
Ready for the future

of Common Agricultural Policy
Ready for the future

A   P A R T N E R S H I P   B E T W E E N   E U R O P E   A N D   F A R M E R S

European farm policy down the yearsYEARS

of Common Agricultural Policy
Ready for the future

A Partnership between
Europe and Farmers

1962

European farm policy 
down the years

2012

ThE TrEaTy of romE crEaTEs  
ThE EuropEan Economic communiTy
(a precursor of today’s EU), between six western 
European countries. CAP is foreseen as a common 
policy, with the objectives to provide affordable 
food for EU citizens and a fair standard of living  
for farmers.

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ThE common agriculTural  
policy (cap) is born!
The essence of the policy is good prices for farmers.  
With every passing year, farmers produce more 
food. The shops are full of food at affordable prices. 
The first objective – food security – has been met.

ThE cap falls vicTim To iTs own succEss. 
Farms are so productive that they are producing 
more food than is needed. The surpluses are stored  
and lead to ‘food mountains’. Several measures are 
introduced to bring production level closer to what  
the market needs.

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ThE cap shifTs from markET supporT  
To producEr supporT.
Price support is scaled down, and replaced with direct 
aid payments to farmers. They are encouraged to be 
more environmentally-friendly. The reform coincides 
with the 1992 Rio Earth Summit which launches the 
principle of sustainable development. 

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ThE cap focusEs morE on food qualiTy.
The policy introduces new measures to support  
farm investment, training, improved processing  
and marketing. Steps are taken to protect traditional 
and regional foods. The first European legislation  
on organic farming is being implemented.

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ThE cap cEnTrEs on rural 
dEvElopmEnT.
The CAP puts more focus on the 
economic, social and cultural 
development of rural Europe.  
At the same time, the reforms 
started in the 1990s are 
continued to make farmers more 
market-oriented.

a cap rEform cuTs ThE link bETwEEn 
subsidiEs and producTion. 
Farmers now receive an income support payment, 
on condition that they look after the farmland and 
fulfil environmental, animal welfare and food safety 
standards.

ThE cap opEns To ThE world.
The EU becomes the world’s largest importer from 
developing countries, importing more than the US, 
Japan, Australia and Canada combined. Under the 
‘everything but arms’ regime the EU has given free 
market access to all least developed countries.  
No other developed country gives such openness, 
commitment, and real market access to developing  
country farmers.

ThE Eu farming populaTion doublEs,  
following ThE EnlargEmEnT
with 12 new countries. Eighteen years after the fall  
of the Berlin wall, the European Union numbers  
27 member states and over 500 million citizens.  
EU's agricultural and rural landscape changes as well.

a nEw cap rEform sEEks To sTrEngThEn 
ThE Economic and Ecological 
compETiTivEnEss 
of the agricultural sector, promote innovation, combat 
climate change and support employment and growth 
in rural area.