Controvery over Public Spending for Agriculture

The political efforts to define the next EU medium-term financial framework and for the further development of EU agricultural policy have given rise to critical discussion. This commentary presents a number of facts that reflect the current state of the political proceedings. Starting from the agro-economic conditions of the first decade after the war and the beginnings of the European integration process, the author sheds light on the development of European agricultural policy, discusses the need for subsidies for European farmers and presents the burdens that consumers and taxpayers bear as a result of the agricultural policy. The author’s concludes that despite all its unwieldiness, EU agricultural policy has been a success.