Publication

The EU Commission’s Communication on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post-2013 published in November 2010 sets out three options for the future shape of the CAP. This paper explains the background and rationale for the debate on CAP reform at the present time. It describes the content of the preferred reform option and examines the implications for trade and for developing countries. The author argues that, despite fears raised by the rhetoric of maintaining the EU’s production capacity to guarantee food security, the proposals maintain the market orientation of previous CAP reforms.