The CAP is one of the main strategies set up by the EU. It is basically a system that gives some farmers in some EU countries subsidies to help them survive. Special agricultural programmes are also set up. This helps to meet the needs of farmers to some extent. The Common Agricultural Policy aims are to produce sufficient quantities of safe, high-quality food for European consumers, and also to help economic development in rural areas. This has to meet very high standards of environmental care and animal welfare. the policy provides financial support for farmers, so long as they meet EU standards on farm hygiene/food safety, animal health and welfare, biodiversity and landscape.
The advanages of this is that Farmers and their employees often work very long hours for little money. Many farmers’ organisations claim that farms would be unprofitable if they did not receive financial support from the EU. CAP supporters claim that it guarantees the survival of rural communities - where more than half of EU citizens live - and preserves the traditional appearance of the countryside. And Europe is now self-sufficient in essential food, and in addition Productivity and efficiency have increased. The disadvantage would be that EU critics complain that the CAP costs too much and benefits relatively few people. For example, only 5% of EU citizens work in agriculture. While productivity has increased, employment in farming has fallen. As well as Non-EU farmers, particularly in Africa have found it hard to sell their produce within the EU. Farmers’ incomes have risen, there have been claims of waste and fraud.
The euro is the currency of 330 million people in 17 countries within the EU. The euro is the second most important international currency after the US dollar. Many of the newest EU members plus Sweden) have yet to meet the