The EU's Common Agricultural Policy and development

This Project Briefing considers how current and proposed Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) measures affect development. It outlines the purpose of the CAP, its history of reform, and some areas of concern around the CAP reform process, before considering the impact of current CAP instruments on developing countries. Its analysis is based on a two-year research programme on CAP reform, which asked three broad questions. (1) How do the present CAP and the proposed reforms affect development and are they coherent with the EU's development objectives? (2) How can we ensure that the effects of the CAP on developing countries and, therefore, on development are monitored over time? (3) Is the CAP a good instrument for achieving its main objectives of supporting and stabilising rural income and protecting the environment or Is there a better alternative? The briefing summarises the main conclusions from six background papers issuing from the CAP reform project, and its analysis also offers policy suggestions for effective and efficient reform, including monitoring global effects and protecting global interests.