The common agricultural policy of the European Union (PDF)

Seminar paper from the year 2019 in the subject Law - European and International Law, Intellectual Properties, grade: 1,3, University of Applied Sciences Constanze, language: English, abstract: Accession to the European Union brings many advantages to a nation, in particular the free movement of goods, persons, services, capital and payments. But the domestic agricultural sector also benefits from EU membership in the form of subsidies. This paper aims to examine through which measures and reformers the common argiculture policy (CAP) attempts to promote the agriculture of its member states. It also discusses the impact of CAP measures on the world market. The development of the agricultural sector in the new accession countries after the eastward enlargement will be examined in more detail. Which countries have seized the opportunity of EU accession and fully exploited their potential? Or are there also countries which have not been able to make any progress in agriculture despite high EU subsidies?


The cornerstone of the common European agricultural policy falls at the birth of the European Union. In 1957, the six founding States joined forces by signing the Treaties of Rome. The main objective of this communitarisation was the joint promotion of European agriculture. Over the years, more and more countries joined the Union. Today, the European Union comprises 28 member states. The Common European Agriculture Policy (CAP) is one of the oldest policy areas of the EU and plays an important role in the EU budget. The functioning of the CAP is very complex and is regularly changed by new reforms. Although agriculture is only a small part of the economy today, it is still important to promote this sector. The CAP's main objectives are to increase productivity, secure supply and stabilise markets.