EP hearing on the future of the CAP after 2013

On March 19, a public hearing was held with the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development to discuss the key challenges for the European agriculture sector. Invited stakeholders included farmers’ representatives and academics. MEPs and stakeholders agreed keeping the CAP at EU level was essential for its survival and that moving towards co-financing with national budgets would not be a step in the right direction.


As outlined in the EP working document "The future of the Common Agriculture Policy after 2013", rapporteur George Lyon said that the future of the CAP must be "fairer, greener and more sustainable".

More equitable distribution of funds to farmers in both older and new Member States, the role of CAP in addressing concentration in the Market and its ability to deal with market crisis were some of the key issues discussed by stakeholders and MEPs.

How the CAP can deliver public goods or how to ensure that public spending benefits the general public was another issue debated at the hearing. Farmers and producers can be recognised as main providers of public goods and can win the support of the public through:
- producing high quality food;
- improving animal welfare;
- landscape management that protects biodiversity;
- providing ecosystem services; and
- contributing to food security.

The Agriculture Committee will continue the debate on the ‘future of the CAP after 2013’ with Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Dacian Ciolos, on 12 April 2010.

For more information:

EP working document on "The Future of CAP after 2013"

Related EPHA articles

Securing a CAP for the Future - securing also health ?

EP hearing of Commissioner-designate for Agriculture and Rural Development Dacian Ciolos

Last modified on March 31 2010.