Brussels

Ukraine is on our screens every day. Still the countryside and its people mainly appear either as victims of war or as soldiers – not as citizens, workers or farmers. When it comes to its vast swaths of agricultural and rural areas, mostly the largest farming entities and their difficulties to export make it into the news. But there is a surprising rural reality in Ukraine that should play a key role when taking a closer look at what a possible EU accession after the war would mean for Ukrainians and citizens of the EU alike. […]

The EU’s recent decision to tax Russian cereals over Ukrainian ones, and the maintenance of solidary lanes with Ukraine despite protests, highlights the relationship between policy and geopolitical tensions. So where next for the CAP? Frederic Courleux argues that CAP must evolve from its neoliberal framework to prioritize food security, economic stability, as well as agro-ecological sustainability. This transition includes securing trade through government-to-government agreements, fostering food stockpiling for inflation control, and integrating food aid into agricultural policies. […]

The last few months have been a rollercoaster ride for the EU’s farming subsidy programme, which has seen its green ambitions sacrificed on the altar of food security and politics. As this mandate comes to a close, ARC has put together a re-CAP for you with all the twists and turns in the Common Agricultural Policy over the past few years – and what’s next for the policy.  […]