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Dries et al

5 important questions on Dries et al

What are the main challenges of the CAP? (member state level)

Lagging farm incomes
increasing resource constraints (land and water)
Environmental concerns
Changing consumer preferences

What were the general objectives of the CAP reform, proposed in 2017?

The general objectives of the future CAP according to the European Commission are:

To foster a smart, resilient and diversified agricultural sector ensuring food security
To bolster environmental care and climate action and to contribute to the environmental and climate objectives of the EU
To strengthen the socio-economic fabric of rural areas

What can you tell about the 'new green architecture', which should represent the new CAP's (2017) claim to have a higher ambition on environmental and climate action?

The legislative proposals on the new CAP contain a new architecture for greening, which covers both pillars and consists of three components (i) enhanced conditionality; (ii) eco-scheme; and (iii) agri-environment, climate scheme and other management commitments (see Table 14.1 for a comparative overview)

What can you tell about the change of policy strategy in the new CAP (2017)?

The European Commission proposes a flexible system, aimed to simplify and modernize the CAP. The emphasis is shifted from compliance and rules towards results and performance. Following the subsidiarity principle, member states get a more important role as they have to make national strategic plans, in which they set out how they intend to meet the nine EU-wide objectives using CAP instruments while responding to the specific needs of their farmers and rural communities.

''As stated by the Commission in its presentation of the legislative proposals of June 2018, “the Common Market Organisation and its instruments remain largely unchanged”. The safety net continues to be composed of public intervention and private storage aid, on the one hand, and exceptional measures, on the other. Marketing standards and rules on farmers’ cooperation are unchanged. Nevertheless, the Commission underlines a “few important points for more effectiveness and simplification”:'' - What are these points?

The integration of sectoral interventions in the CAP plan regulation (for fruit and vegetables, wine, olive oil, hops and apiculture)
The extension of the possibility to initiate sectorial interventions to other agricultural sectors
Amendments to rules on geographical indications to make them more attractive and easier to manage
The adjustment of allocations following the multiannual financial framework (MFF) proposal
The deletion of a number of obsolete provisions