The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) shapes the agri-food sector of the European Union (EU) by mainly regulating the distribution of financial support to agricultural producers. Based on the Treaty of Rome (1957), one of the CAP's objectives is to "ensure a fair living standard for farm-ers" by...

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union has been in a process of reform since the early 1990s. As a result of reforms, agricultural market regulations have become more liberal and direct payments have been introduced which are to a large extent decoupled from production. In...

In order to foster the competitiveness of the food supply chain, the European Commission is committed to promote and facilitate the restructuring and consolidation of the agricultural sector by encouraging the creation of voluntary agricultural producer organisations. To support the policy...

The multiple roles and functions of agriculture and forestry beyond those of supplying food and fibre, such as the provision of environmental benefits and the contribution to the socio-economic viability of rural areas, account for a growing recognition in both scientific debates and political...