the common agricultural policy and food security
DESCRIPTION
Lecture of 14-11-2012 on the Common Agricultural Policy and Food Security. Course: European Institutions and Policies. Public Administration and Policy Group, Wageningen University (NL)TRANSCRIPT
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?
www.wageningenur.nl/pap
Twitter: @JeroenWUR