Common Agricultural Policy
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is the European Union's agricultural and rural development policy, in operation since 1962. It is funded from the EU budget through the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and represents one of the largest areas of Union spending. The CAP regulates agricultural markets, supports farmers' incomes and sets production standards. Access to its subsidies and market mechanisms is a central issue for countries acceding to the EU.
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EU plans to limit Ukraine's access to farm market and subsidies even after accession
The European Commission is considering significantly restricting Ukraine's access to the EU agricultural market and to Common Agricultural Policy subsidies even after Ukraine joins the bloc, according to an internal document seen by the Financial Times. The proposal would offer individual accession 'roadmaps' to Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro and Albania without fixed accession dates, and would tie the financial benefits of membership more tightly to legal, anti-corruption and financial reforms.