On 12 April, the European Commission launched a public debate on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in the European Union which is due to be reformed by 2013. A formal public consultation on the CAP post-2013 will be undertaken later this year when the Commission will publish a policy paper setting out different options for the future CAP.
The Commission considers that the CAP is more than just a policy for farmers and therefore nvites all interested EU citizens and organisations - whether or not they work in the area of agriculture - to join the debate on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy, its principles and objectives.
Why to contribute?
- There is a clear link between agriculture, the environment, biodiversity, climate change and the sustainable management of our natural resources such as water and land.
- There is also an obvious link between agriculture and the positive economic and social development of the vast rural areas of the EU.
- And last but not least, farming is the very source of the food on our plates.
European farmers deliver public goods which benefit society as a whole. This is why we have launched this broad public debate open to everyone who cares about food, farming and the countryside.
What is the input expected?
The Commission is particularly keen to know your ideas and expectations with regard to these questions:
- Why do we need a European common agricultural policy?
- What do citizens expect from agriculture?
- Why reform the CAP?
- What tools do we need for the CAP of tomorrow?
A special website (http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/cap-debate) has been created, which will be open for contributions to the public debate until June 2010. An independent body will then produce a summary of these contributions. In July 2010, the European Commission will organise a conclusive conference on the public debate. It hopes to draw strong ideas from this to develop its Communication on the CAP after 2013, which should be presented at the end of 2010.
For more information, see http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/cap-debate