In order to meet the changing needs of the agricultural sector, the European Union has advocated a new 'European model of Agriculture' which will provide a competitive and diverse agricultural sector that is environmentally responsible and that uses Community funds wisely. In order to implement such a range of policies the EU will need to pass a large amount of legislation. This book sets out to analyze whether the legislative framework for this model is feasible and whether it can deliver these policy objectives.
The timely analysis of the tension between the EU model and the global economy as supervised by the WTO, the emphasis on environmental protection, and the place of agriculture in the wider rural economy are all issues at the heart of the present debate. This book is the first to deal with the mid-term review of the CAP and is therefore essential reading for academics, practitioners and policy makers in the field.