Violeta Blazheva
Evolution of EU Common Agricultural Policy
Summary:
The year 2012 marked fifty years of the EU Common Agricultural Policy – the basis for European integration providing food security and dynamic agriculture for European citizens for five decades. This paper focuses on its evolution and achievements of the reforms carried out. These reforms were designed to provide quality food to citizens at reasonable prices and a decent standard of living for farmers and their objectives are still valid today. Over the years, European agricultural policy has helped to overcome three key stages: leading Europe from scarcity to abundance of food, meeting the new challenges associated with the sustainable use of natural resources, and expanding the role of farmers in rural development. The reform of the EU Common Agricultural Policy aims to strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of European agriculture and rural development.
