Agenda 2000

The Agenda 2000 was an extensive action and reform program of the European Union to strengthen the Community 's policy on EU enlargement. The Agenda 2000 was adopted at the European Council of Heads of State and Government of 26 March 1999 in Berlin in the form of about twenty legal texts. First conceptual foundations under this name had been drawn up by the European Commission in July 1997.

  • 2.1 Financial Framework

Reform of the agricultural policy

Background

The Common Agricultural Policy has already been taken in the creation of the European Economic Community in 1957 in the contracts. The aim was to ensure the supply of the population with food and hunger periods as during and after to prevent the two world wars.

In order to increase production, among others, the following measures were adopted:

  • The prices for agricultural products have been guaranteed by the EC. Products that could not be discontinued for the guaranteed price (intervention ), were bought by government agencies.
  • The EC guaranteed acceptance in principle of all produced agricultural products ( purchase guarantee ).
  • As the world market prices were lower, the foods were occupied with duties on imports, which offset the difference. In addition, an upper limit for the introduction of agricultural products was introduced.

Since the mid- 80s, this system led to the overproduction of food, as the market mechanisms were overridden, the more produced a farmer, he earns more money. In addition, technological advances led to a further increase in income. The surpluses were either sold heavily subsidized in the world market, destroyed or stored. With the eastern enlargement also new states have been added that are heavily agricultural. This made reform inevitable.

Reform

The support prices for beef should be reduced by about 30% for cereals by 20% and milk by 15%. The decoupling of prices had made ​​no later than January 1, 2007, it was released already but the Member States in 2005 to start. The revenue loss was by direct payments, which are independent of the quantity produced (at least partially ) be compensated.

Moreover, environmental objectives in agriculture should be given greater consideration. The agenda provides the responsibility of farmers mainly in landscape management, first as a secondary objective the production of food is called. Farmers violate any applicable animal, environmental or occupational health and safety requirements have to expect cuts of up to a quarter of the premiums. Rural areas should be promoted more in the future.

The measure, to reduce prices and to promote high quality, European Union hopes to avoid food scares such as BSE and foot-and- mouth disease and to reduce the over-production. Farmers should plan their production more to the needs of the market than before.

Reform of regional policy

Agenda 2000 also a reform of regional policy was decided, however, was much less far-reaching than the reform of agricultural policy. The main objective of the reform was to improve the use of resources. Regional policy has the task of adapting the living conditions within the Union.

Financial framework

To prevent explosion in costs following the enlargement, the payments were limited in the period between 2000 and 2006 at 213 billion euros. Of this amount, 195 billion euros to the Structural Funds and € 18 billion to the Cohesion Fund.

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