Publication

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) represents nearly 40% of the EU budget and remains a highly controversial policy. This sizeable slice of the budget remains largely untargeted and inequalities in payment distribution persist. This commentary argues that the 2013 CAP reform represents a huge opportunity for the European Parliament and European decision-makers in general to change the course European agricultural policy. Accordingly, the Members of the European Parliament responsible for amending the Commission’s legislative proposals have the mandate to respond to calls for a more targeted policy, tailored to current needs, namely a more sustainable and resource-efficient agricultural model.