In this IEEP CAP2020 Policy Briefing, we examine the ways in which the CAP reform debate is being shaped by the EU Presidency, government and stakeholders in a range of reports, vision documents and think pieces. There is a broad consensus that the CAP should be reformed, however, there are differences in the arguments being mobilised to underpin the case for further reform. In particular, we examine the value of some of the concepts introduced by these documents - such as ‘public goods’ - for providing legitimate and operational objectives for a post-2013 CAP.

In this new CAP2020 Member State Reform Profile, the position of Poland on further reform of the CAP is discussed. The Polish Government supports a strong and modern CAP to ensure a level playing field and increase competitiveness, as well as a European approach to addressing the ‘new challenges’.

The Czech Presidency has presented four priorities for its work on agricultural policy to the end of June 2009, including the reform of the Less Favoured Area measure and the future of the CAP. Neither is likely to pass without controversy.

In this CAP2020 Member State Reform Profile, the position of the Czech Republic on further CAP reform is described. A key issue is that although Pillar 1 should be maintained, greater priority should be given to Pillar 2 so that agriculture can increase its competitiveness and address the ‘new challenges’.

The European Court of Auditors has identified a number of systematic failures in the way in which cross compliance has been implemented since 2005.

While the outcome of the Health Check was regarded by many across Europe to play strongly to German interests, within the country opinions on the compromise vary widely.

In the second issue of IEEP's CAP2020 policy briefing, we examine the extent to which the EU Budget Review will provide an impetus for further reform, drawing on an analysis of the responses made by the 27 Member States to the European Commission’s recent stakeholder consultation.

On 9 December, Danuta Hübner, EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, presented the findings of a new report on the future challenges facing regions in Europe. The report provides input into the ongoing debate on the future of EU cohesion policy.

The French took the helm of the EU at a critical point in the development of the CAP. Taking over the six-month EU Presidency in July, French officials held the dual ambition of tying up one reform of the CAP and setting up the stall for the next. Whilst the French Presidency can take some satisfaction from concluding the Health Check, the parallel aim of reaching agreement on the longer term prospects for CAP reform has proved to be somewhat premature for a number of Member States.

While the CAP reform debate is in full swing, the UK countries have been consulting on the structure and content of their future agricultural policies as part of the transition away from the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy.

30 actions to transform the Commission’s proposals into a genuine transition tool.

Just a few days before EU Agriculture Ministers meet for the informal Council in Vienna and on the basis of the preparatory questions sent by the presidency to the delegations, the authors of this blog post identify the key elements for securing vibrant rural areas in the future CAP.

Those of us with long memories of CAP reforms know that there can be many dramas, dead ends and diversions along the way. Nonetheless, there has been a discernible direction of travel for two decades or more.