the common agricultural policy and food security

The Common Agricultural Policy and Food Security

European Union Institutions and Policies, PAP-53306

14th of November 2012, Jeroen Candel

Public Administration and Policy Group

A small quiz (1)

How much does the EU spend on the CAP?

A) 20% of its budget (27,5 billion euro per year)

B) 40% of its budget (55 billion euro per year)

C) 60% of its budget (82,5 billion euro per year)

A small quiz (2)

Who’s the European commissioner for agriculture?

A) Dacian Ciolos

B) Mariann Fischer Boel

C) José Graziano da Silva

A small quiz (3)

Which country gets the most money?

A)France

B)Germany

C)Poland

What is the CAP?

What do you know about the CAP?

EU’s main agricultural steering device

Almost half (40%) of the EU Budget: 55 billion Euro per year

Surrounded by controversy

Today’s lecture

History (article Lynggaard & Nedergaard)

Controversies

The CAP towards 2020

Food security (article Zahrnt)

Early years

In effect as of 1962

Food security

Common market

Secured income farmers

Stimulating innovation

Pioneer role Sicco Mansholt

70s and 80s: crisis

CAP big success, too big..:

Costs

High prices for consumers

Environment

Overproduction

Pressure WTO

1984: Quota, but insufficient: increasing pressure

Reforms

1992 MacSharry Reform: direct income support

Agenda 2000: rural development (second pillar)

2003 Fischler Reform: decoupling, cross-compliance, mulftifunctionality

2013 Ciolos Reform?

How to explain these policy developments?

Lynggaard & Nedergaard (2009):

Look at both preferences (ideas) and institutions (interests)

Shift toward post-materialist preferences

Agricultural interests still most powerful

Importance of periods in between reforms

Changes in preferences and institutions (1)

Changes in preferences and institutions (2)

Changes in preferences and institutions (3)

50 years of CAP

Controversies

1. Size of the total budget

2. Distribution of the budget

3. Requirements for farmers

4. External effects

Source: European Commission

Dacian Ciolos on the future of the CAP

What are the aims of the ‘new’ CAP?

Food security

Quality, value and diversity of food

Local employment

Food security (1)

To preserve the food production potential on a sustainable basis throughout the EU, so as to guarantee long-term food security for European citizens and to contribute to growing world food demand, expected by FAO to increase by 70% by 2050. Recent incidents of increased market instability, often exacerbated by climate change, further highlight these trends and pressures. Europe's capacity to deliver food security is an important long term choice for Europe which cannot be taken for granted.

Food security (2)

Traditionally issue development policies (e.g. Food security thematic programme)

But back on EU agricultural policy agenda (!)

How come?

Are these concerns justified?

Context: 2008 Food price crisis

Should food security be the CAP’s primary aim?

What do you think?

Zahrnt’s response

Yes, fears are rising, but:

Food production p/c constantly increased

Food is relatively inexpensive

EU production could, in real crisis, be increased

Farm income and market support irrelevant for EU & inefficient for global FS

Invest in research and infrastructure dev. countries

“There are a number of threats out there about which we cannot have absolute certainty: attacks by Martians, killer mummies from the Pyramids and dinosaurs escaping from Jurassic Parks. Serious policy makers have to analyze and weigh these risks. Food security does not pass the test; there is no reasonably discernible threat during the coming decades.” (Zahrnt, 2011: 16)

Why then, are we still using the term?

It resonates

No one can be against it

It provides legitimization

A discursive weapon for all

Food security: different meanings

Different food security frames

Framing: sense-making, interpreting, giving meaning to social phenomena

Food security on the rise, but frames differ

Long term vs. short term food security

Global vs. domestic/ regional food security

Producer oriented vs. consumer oriented

A diffused debate

What are the hot potatoes in the current negotiations?

It’s not food security

Size budget

Greening measures

7500 amendments European Parliament

How to make rules that are both flexible and strict?

Position of The Netherlands

Netherlands agree with redistribution (-8%)

30% of income support coupled to greening

But flexible greening measures!

Groups of farmers/ collectives

Want to know more about the CAP?

Commission website CAP

Videoblog Foodpolitics.eu

‘De slag om Brussel’, Dutch tv series about EU politics. Episode of 12 November was about the CAP and EU soy imports. Twitter:@ToekomstGLB (NL)@ARC2020eu (EN)@FoodPoliticsEU (EN)@xAlan_Matthews (EN)

Thank you for your kind attention!

Any questions?

Jeroen.candel@wur.nl

www.wageningenur.nl/pap

Twitter: @JeroenWUR