Events Calendar

Over the past few years, price volatility has become a central concern for European farmers and consumers due to changes in demand, supply and structural characteristics of the market. This has resulted in an increase in costs and debt by farmers, with 2.4 million EU farms disappeared between 2005 and 2010 and making it more difficult for farmers to establish and grow their business. In turn, consumers have more limited access to basic and quality goods due to high prices.

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) addresses this problem mainly through direct payments as compensation to farmers, rather than tackling price volatility through market intervention. Risk management tools are included in Pillar II, but critiques point out that they represent only 0.4% of the total CAP budget.

Ahead of the CAP review at the end of 2017, EURACTIV organised this high-level Forum to discuss how to make the CAP work for both farmers and consumers. Questions included:
- Is price volatility the greatest challenge to farmers and consumers?
- How can farmers get a fair deal? Are the measures implemented by the EU and the CAP enough?
- What priorities should the upcoming CAP revision consider to minimise price volatility?
- How to improve and make the supply chain more effective? Are local agriculture and a short supply chain still a dream?
- What role can retailers play for a more sustainable supply chain?
- How can consumers influence the market?

An article[/url] summarising the debate can be found on euractiv.com as part of the Special Report [url=http://www.euractiv.com/section/agriculture-food/special_report/farmers-under-pressure/]Farmers under pressure.

The event was organised in the framework of the Communicating the challenges facing the CAP project, funded with the support of the European Commission.

What consumers want: A supply chain for farmers and consumers