The Common Agricultural Policy is the European Union’s instrument for managing agriculture. It was created in the post-war era to ensure Europe’s food security, although there have been many changes since then. Today, the CAP receives more than €30 billion a year, i.e. 38% of the EU budget.
The way this money is spent concerns all EU citizens, as it’s what shapes our diet and rural areas, affect the wider political context and has a big impact on our health and well-being. Enabling citizens to understand and engage in the implications of this policy is a key part of improving the connections between farmers and consumers and developing truly sustainable, fairer local food systems.
This is why ECVC has made a simple, informative fiche on the CAP from a peasant perspective. You can find it here in PDF version.
