The CAP reform as viewed by a Hungarian (researcher)

Udovecz, Gábor

Keywords: EU Common Agricultural Policy, national agricultural strategy, competitiveness, public goods

The Community’s Common Agricultural Policy is a product of constant compromise and a series of reforms. The current situation is different in that the social pressure on the decision-making mechanism is higher than usual and therefore the financial options are more limited. We, Hungarians also take part in shaping the future. It is therefore a unique opportunity for Hungary to develop a firm orientation on agricultural policy based on its own strengths and weaknesses, and base the country’s CAP position on the principal lines of such orientation. Hungary is interested in a CAP which provides the maximum level of funds in line with European values, as well as opening up more room to manoeuvre to achieve the national agricultural and rural policy goals.
To sum it up one might say that the decision-making mechanism for the CAP reform is complicated, while Hungary’s ability to assert its interests is limited. From this it follows that it is not advisable to fragment the country’s efforts and it is useless to make initiatives covering the full breadth of the scene. It is best to follow a policy of seeking allies in issues which are especially important for Hungary and might be ignored by others, but where gaining majority support is not hopeless. One such issue is the fate of the entire 1st pillar, or, more specifically, the criteria for granting direct payments. The institute of direct payments is made up of sub-items: a European flat rate payment and several additional payments expressing national-European values. Our country now has to define this Hungarian European value in agreement! We are of the opinion that this cannot be any former level of GDP, any former level of costs; nothing at all that is associated with former performance. The responsible view is that the real European (worldwide) value is the ability to produce healthy food: the ratio and quality of cultivated land; the condition and purity of the waters and the natural environment; and naturally, as strategic goals, to keep markets and jobs!

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