Common agricultural policy: experience of recent reform

Abstract

The use of positive international practice in state support for the agriculture and rural areas is becoming an increasingly urgent task for domestic politicians, and a thorough study of international experience is an important mission of modern science. The experience of European countries, the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy of which is famous by both a long history and constant evolution to changing external conditions, is useful from the point of view of the possibilities of incorporation into domestic practice. The article examines a specific period (2014–2020) in the development of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), characterized, firstly, by introduction of new mechanisms and principles, secondly, by active implementation simultaneously with the first component of the policy (First Pillar ) of its second component (Second Pillar), which is aimed at harmonious rural development, means an attempt to link the European (common) context with local characteristics and priorities in the development of rural areas. Important theoretical and practical conclusions proposed for discussion by the scientific community and politicians were obtained in the study as a result of a thorough analysis of Eurostat data, the annual reports of the European Commission, the European Parliament, accompanying the implementation of CAP funds (EAFR, EAGF). The scientific hypotheses formulated and verified in the course of the research can be reduced to the following conclusions: 1) the directions and instruments of state agrarian policy require constant updating following the fluctuations of the agrarian sphere surrounding environment; 2) the priorities of agrarian policy (European, domestic) are naturally and gradually shifted towards the support of rural areas, within the boundaries of which agricultural production is carried out and the life of the rural population takes place; 3) global challenges and threats (climate change, environmental degradation, the spread of viral infections, etc.) inevitably make significant adjustments to the economic, social, political life of society, which, of course, affects the organization of any state (region) agrarian policy.