Agricultural and Environmental Policies in the European Union

Abstract

This chapter intends to display the environmental considerations in the evolution of agricultural policies of the European Union. In the initial part, it is stated that the agricultural policies are changing. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union appears as the result of solving the problem for the food decrease production after the Second World War. Nowadays, the CAP primary principles and objectives are changing according to the globalisation and the European environmental concerns. CAP has adjusted to a new reality – the sustainability of the agricultural production. As consequence, the CAP has evolved significantly since 1950 and developed important measures. The common market organisation and other policies including environmental concerns pointed in the MacSharry Reform, the check-health and in the agri-environmental measures appeared as an alternative of the old CAP. The future CAP will have also environmental objectives. CAP will fight against climate changes, supporting employment and growth; promoting the environmental protection and rural development plans and food security; and avoiding global hunger and poverty.