Europeans and the CAP (Eurobarometer)

Special EUROBAROMETER 221 “Europeans and the Common Agricultural Policy”

3. How Europeans rate the way the Common Agricultural Policy is fulfilling its role Source questionnaire: QB3 In this third part of the analysis we will look at how European citizens perceive the role played by the European Union’s agricultural policy in certain areas of intervention seen earlier. - A relative majority of Europeans believes the EU is playing its role fairly well for most

of the tested areas -

QB3. And do you think that the European Union’s agricultural policy currently plays its role fairly well or fairly badly to…? (% EU25)

57%

55%

4 8 %

4 7%

4 7%

4 5%

4 5%

4 3 %

4 0 %

3 7%

3 7%

3 0 %

2 8 %

3 0 %

3 1%

2 9 %

3 4 %

4 0 %

4 3 %

3 7%

4 9 %

2 3 %

2 6 %

3 2 %

3 0 %

2 6 % 16 %

2 5%

2 1%

16 %

2 3 %

2 1%

2 6 %

2 0 %

2 1%

2 3 %

0% 100%

ensure that agricultural products are healthy and safe

promote the respect of environment

make European agriculture more competitive onworld markets

favour methods of organic production

protect the welfare of farm animals

encourage the diversification of agricultural productsand activities

protect the specificity and taste of Europeanagricultural products

help farmers to adapt their production to consumer’sexpectations

favour and improve life in the countryside

ensure stable and adequate incomes for farmers

reduce development gaps between regions

protect small or medium sized farms

Fairly well Fairly badly DK

When looking at the results for the average of the 25 EU Member States in each of the areas tested for this question, we can note that in most of the cases a majority or a relative majority of citizens indicates that the EU’s agricultural policy plays its role fairly well. With a rate of 57%, it is the most positively perceived belief that the common agricultural policy is doing a good job in ensuring that agricultural products are healthy and safe. The promotion of the respect of the environment is also considered by a majority of citizens (55%) as a role fairly well played by the CAP. On the opposite side of the graph we can note that only a minority of Europeans believes the CAP is playing its role fairly well in protecting small or medium sized farms, with a rate of just 30%. This is also the case for the role of the CAP in ensuring stable and adequate incomes for farmers (37%) and in reducing development gaps between regions (37%). It is also important to note the significant rates of non-responses for certain items.

- 17 -


- Ensure that agricultural products are healthy and safe -

QB3.11 And do you think that the European Union’s agricultural policy currently plays its role fairly well or fairly badly to…?

Ensure that agricultural products are healthy and safe (% EU25)

80%80%

73%71%

66%65%65%65%

63%61%

58%

57%

56%53%53%53%

50%50%

49%47%

46%45%

41%39%

38%37%

5%18%23%

30%

27%19%24%

15%

26%

14%27%

31%24%

25%35%37%

44%25%29%

34%51%

39%47%

8%

27%

15%

22%

21%

6%

8%

16%

24%

23%

25%

13%

14%

14%

16%

20%

29%

16%

15%

6%11%

5%

18%

31%

14%

26%

10%

9%

24%

0% 100%

CYMTNLBEDEFIPLSIUKLULT

EU25

IEITATEEESFRHUELSKCZPTDKLVSE


Country results for this area of intervention of the CAP shows us that respondents in Cyprus and Malta have the highest rates indicating that the CAP’s role is played fairly well in this domain, with a rate of 80% in each country. The Netherlands and Belgium follow with respectively 73% and 71%. On the bottom of the table we can note that the Swedes have the lowest rate indicating a positive answer (37%). Sweden’s rate is 20 percentage points below the EU25 average. Latvia (38%) and Denmark (39%) follow. These are the only three countries where we find a minority of respondents answering positively.

- 18 -


When we compare this year’s results with those of 2003 among the “old” EU15 Member States3, we can observe several important developments in the opinion of European citizens for this question. The map below shows the evolution of results between 2003 and 2004. Countries in blue have seen their rates increase since 2003, countries in yellow have not witnessed any change at all, and countries in red have seen their results decrease since 2003.

QB3.11 And do you think that the European Union’s agricultural policy currently playsits role fairly well or fairly badly to…?

Option: Ensure that agricultural products are healthy and safe

Answers: Fairly well

neutral

negative

Color Keypositive

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

The Netherlands

Austria

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

United Kingdom

+19

8

13

5

0

8

-12

14

14

9

4

7

8

12

28

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

71%

39%

66%

47%

50%

50%

56%

53%

61%

73%

53%

41%

65%

37%

63%

Comparison 2004/2003

The strongest progression of positive opinions can be observed in the United Kingdom where this opinion has increased by 28 percentage points since last year. Belgium also has an important increase favourable to the role of the CAP (+19 points). Spain’s rate remains unchanged since last year while that of Ireland has dropped by 12 percentage points, passing from 68% of positive opinions to 56%. All other countries have seen their results increase in this year’s survey.

3 In 2003 “And how well do you think the European Union’s agricultural policy is currently playing its role?”

- 19 -


- Promote the respect of the environment -


Promote the respect of environment (% EU25)

85%82%

77%69%

68%67%

66%64%

62%59%59%

58%57%

55%

53%52%52%

51%48%

46%46%

45%43%

42%41%

34%

7%11%

25%

25%

16%25%

11%18%

34%32%

28%

18%27%

30%30%

42%40%

31%38%

34%33%

35%58%

20%

23%

19%

20%

22%

4%

14%

30%

23%

25%

17%

11%

12%

30%

11%

23%

8%

12%

6%12%

8%

13%

8%

16%

9%

17%

25%

12%

20%

0% 100%

MTCYPLBEHUSIDEEELULTSKFINL

EU25

IEITATUKELFRCZSELVESPTDK


Again we can see that respondents in Cyprus (85%) and Malta (82%) have the highest rates indicating that the European Union’s agricultural policy is playing its role fairly well to promote the respect of the environment. Poland follows with a rate of 77%. On the opposite, Denmark has the lowest rate with only 34% of its respondents believing the CAP is playing its role fairly well in this field. Indeed, Denmark is the only country where a clear majority of respondents (58%) believes that the CAP is doing a bad job in promoting the respect of the environment.

- 20 -


The result comparison with 2003 for the “old” EU 15 countries shows us that there has been an overall positive development among the European public opinion. The strongest progressions can be noted in the United Kingdom and Belgium (respectively up 22 and 20 points). The only exception to this trend can be noted in Ireland where the rate of positive opinions, meaning those who consider the CAP’s role to be played fairly well for the promotion of the respect of the environment, has decreased by 8 points (down from 61% in 2003 to 53% in 2004).

QB3.8 And do you think that the European Union’s agricultural policy currently plays

its role fairly well or fairly badly to…?

Option: Promote the respect of environment


neutral

negative

Color Keypositive

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

The Netherlands

Austria

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

United Kingdom

+20

5

13

7

2

5

-8

12

11

2

1

1

10

14

22

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

69%

34%

66%

48%

42%

46%

53%

52%

62%

57%

52%

41%

58%

45%

51%


- 21 -


- Make European agriculture more competitive on world markets -

QB3.2 And do you think that the European Union’s agricultural policy currently plays its role fairly well or fairly badly to…? Make

European agriculture more competitive on world markets (% EU25)

64%60%

58%56%

53%51%

50%49%

48%

48%48%48%48%47%

46%46%

45%44%44%43%

40%37%37%37%36%

28%

12%17%

32%

28%

16%

30%

31%16%

30%37%39%

23%31%

29%30%

41%28%

35%38%

30%38%

38%41%

35%

25%

24%

33%

23%

29%

31%

32%

26%

27%

12%

18%

23%

36%

14%

24%

31%

28%

12%23%22%

21%

22%15%

15%

25%

25%

25%

24%

0% 100%

DEM TCYBEPLATHULT

EU25

DKIE

LUSI

ELEESKESITFI

UKNLFRSECZPTLV


Germans are the most numerous to believe that the CAP is playing its role fairly well in making European agriculture more competitive on world markets, this at a rate of 64%. This rate is 16 percentage points above the EU25 average.. Malta follows with 60% indicating a positive response. On the lower side of the graph, we can see that Latvia has the least number of respondents answering positively, since only 28% think this way (20 points below the EU25 average). It is interesting to note the high levels of “Don’t know” responses for this statement, which reaches 36% in Ireland and 35% in Lithuania.

- 22 -


The 2004/2003 comparison shows us that once again, the United Kingdom has the strongest increase (+23 points) in its positive opinion about the role of the CAP, this time for making European agriculture more competitive on world markets. Belgium (+18), Germany (+17) and Italy (+15) also have important increases. On the other hand, we can see that in two countries the opinions in favour of the CAP have weakened somewhat. The most significant decrease is Ireland, where this rate has dropped by 6 percentage points since 2003. France’s rate has dropped by one point. The rate in the Netherlands remains unchanged at 40% responding “fairly well”.


Option: Make European agriculture more competitive on world markets


neutral

negative

Color Keypositive

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

The Netherlands

Austria

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

United Kingdom

56%

48%

64%

47%

45%

37%

48%

44%

48%

40%

51%

36%

44%

37%

43%


+18

+12

+17

+11

+4

-1

-6

+15

+3

0

+3

+6

+7

+8

+23

- 23 -


- Favour methods of organic production -


Favour methods of organic production (% EU25)

68%

66%61%

60%59%

57%

56%55%

54%53%

53%

50%48%

47%

47%41%

40%

40%38%

38%36%

35%

33%33%

32%27%

11%26%

13%

32%

28%

9%25%

20%

33%31%

31%

26%48%

41%

29%41%

33%28%

43%

30%38%

34%58%

17%

27%

31%

32%

33%

16%

30%

27%

36%

34%

19%

16%

11%

23%

21%

36%

15%

23%

27%9%

11%

38%

18%

23%

22%

23%

30%

13%

11%

0% 100%

PLCYDELTSIELBELUMTEESKATHU

EU25

ITFINLCZSEUKIEFRESLVPTDK


Polish citizens are the ones in the EU 25 countries who judge the most positively the CAP’s role in favouring methods of organic production, at a rate of 68%. The results in Cyprus (66%), Germany (61%) and Lithuania (60%) are also above the 60 % mark. On the opposite side of the graph we can see that Denmark has the lowest rate, being the only country to have a clear majority of respondents having an opposite opinion (58%). Again, we should point out to the high non-response rates which reach 38% in Malta and 36% in Spain and Ireland.

- 24 -


The map below shows us that a majority of countries in the “old” European Union of 15 Member States has seen an increase in their rates in favour of the CAP for this issue. The strongest increase can be found in Belgium (+15) and Greece (+14). On the other hand, rates have decreased in three countries, namely Ireland (- 21), Finland (-2) and the Netherlands (-5). Ireland’s rate of positive answers has considerably dropped by 21 percentage points.


Option: Favour methods of organic production


neutral

negative

Color Keypositive

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

The Netherlands

Austria

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

United Kingdom

+15

0

+10

+14

+3

0

-21

+12

+8

-5

+4

+2

-2

+7

+11

56%

27%

61%

57%

33%

35%

36%

47%

55%

40%

50%

32%

41%

38%

38%


- 25 -


- Protect the welfare of farm animals -


Protect the welfare of farm animals (% EU25)

72%65%

61%59%

56%54%54%54%

51%51%

49%48%48%

47%

47%44%

43%42%

40%39%39%38%

35%35%

23%17%

12%8%

28%

39%

31%32%

13%21%

33%23%

32%

29%16%

37%44%

29%34%

33%47%

38%35%

65%76%

14%

29%

14%

33%

27%

12%

27%

24%

27%

12%

20%

15%

19%

36%

29%

29%

7%

23%

13%11%

7%

17%

19%

21%

31%

15%

30%

30%

40%

0% 100%

PLCYMTDEBEFI

HUSILULTEEATSK

EU25

ITIE

UKNLESCZLVELFRPTSEDK


Concerning the protection of the welfare of farm animals, Polish citizens (72%) have again the highest rate of answers estimating that the Common Agricultural Policy is doing its job fairly well in this field. Poland’s rate is 25 percentage points above the EU25 average. The lowest rates are found in Denmark and Sweden with respectively 17% and 23%. Denmark’s rate is 30 percentage points below the EU25 average. Up to 76% of respondents in Denmark are of the opposite opinion. As this item was not asked in 2003 we have no comparison data for this specific issue on farm animal welfare protection.

- 26 -


- Encourage the diversification of agricultural products and activities –


Encourage the diversification of agricultural products and activities(% EU25)

60%

56%

55%

55%

54%

54%

54%

53%

52%

51%

49%

47%

46%

45%

45%

43%

40%

39%

38%

38%

38%

35%

33%

32%

31%

29%

29%

24%

19%

7%

16%

15%

31%

24%

35%

43%

29%

25%

27%

28%

36%

33%

28%

29%

17%

38%

38%

46%

37%

31%

27%

26%

36%

32%

30%

34%

30%

29%

23%

32%

10%

13%

18%

11%

32%

33%

15%

26%

10%

39%

32%

18%

26%

28%

48%

30%

21%

30%

0% 100%

BEDE

LUPLEL

MTSICYLT

ATSKHU

FI

EU25

EEITES

FRNLUKCZ

IEPTSE

DKLV


Belgians are the respondents who believe the most that the CAP is playing its role fairly well in encouraging the diversification of agricultural products and activities, this at a rate of 60%. The result in Germany follows with 56%. Among the new Member States, Poland (55%), Malta (54%) and Slovenia (54%) have the highest rates. On the opposite side of the graph we can note that the Latvians have the lowest score with only 29% answering positively to this statement. Denmark and Sweden follow with respectively 31% and 32%. The non-response rates are considerably high in certain countries, notably in Ireland (48%) and Malta (39%).

- 27 -


When comparing results with 2003, we can see that almost all countries have seen their rates of positive answers increase. The highest increase can be observed in the United Kingdom (+18 points), Belgium (+14 points) and Italy (+13 points). In only three countries do we observe a decrease in their rates of positive answers, namely Ireland (- 14 points), the Netherlands (-5 points) and Austria (- 1 point).


Option: Encourage the diversification of agricultural products and activities


neutral

negative

Color Keypositive

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

The Netherlands

Austria

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

United Kingdom

+14

+2

+7

+12

+1

+1

-14

+13

+7

-5

-1

+2

+4

+5

+18

60%

31%

56%

54%

40%

39%

35%

43%

55%

38%

51%

33%

46%

32%

38%


- 28 -


- Protect the specificity and taste of European agricultural products -


Protect the specificity and taste of European agricultural products (% EU25)

61%59%

59%55%54%

53%

51%50%

48%46%

45%

45%

44%44%43%

41%

40%39%

38%37%

36%34%

33%28%

28%23%

12%

9%27%

24%

28%13%

40%

30%

35%

24%25%26%

28%

40%35%

45%41%

18%43%

41%34%

32%38%

22%

26%

32%

23%

28%

23%

31%

26%

40%

20%

11%

26%

14%

31%

46%

38%

30%

18%14%

24%

38%

25%

20%

32%

17%

22%

38%

31%

32%

0% 100%

BECYMTDESILUPLITLTFI

EU25

ATEESKUKESHUNLELFRIE

DKPTSECZLV


Once again, Belgium has the highest result of respondents believing the CAP is doing a good job in protecting the specificity and taste of European agricultural products, with 61% indicating this opinion. Cyprus and Malta follow with 59% in each country. Again, Latvia has the lowest result with just 23% indicating that the CAP is playing its role fairly well in this area. The Czech Republic (28%) and Sweden (28%) also have considerably low rates. The non-response rates are again significant in Ireland (46%) and the Czech Republic (40%).

- 29 -


The comparison of results between 2004 and 2003 shows us that countries of the “old” EU 15 Member States are not following the same trend and seem split up: certain countries seeing an increase and others on the contrary a decrease. The highest increases are again observed in the United Kingdom (+21 points), Belgium (+19 points) and Italy (+16 points). The most important decreases can be seen in Ireland (-17 points) and the Netherlands (-6 points).


Option: Protect the specificity and taste of European agricultural products


neutral

negative

Color Keypositive

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

The Netherlands

Austria

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

United Kingdom

+19

6

13

2

-1

-4

-17

16

6

-6

-4

0

8

2

21

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

61%

34%

55%

38%

41%

37%

36%

50%

53%

39%

45%

33%

46%

28%

43%


- 30 -


- Help farmers to adapt their production to consumer’s expectations –

QB3.3 And do you think that the European Union’s agricultural policy currently plays its role fairly well or fairly badly to…? Help

farmers to adapt their production to consumer’s expectations(% EU25)

62%62%

58%57%

54%52%51%

49%48%

45%

43%

43%43%43%

42%40%40%

38%38%

36%33%33%

31%30%30%

22%

13%24%

32%

30%

38%31%

44%

34%

20%27%

30%41%

32%33%

52%34%

39%44%

41%50%

43%42%

53%

12%

11%

29%

16%

18%

24%

18%

19%

28%

27%

19%

32%

11%

27%

23%

25%

25%

10%16%

17%

21%

23%

37%30%

28%

26%

27%

19%

27%

0% 100%

CYMTPLBEDELULTSIATEL

EU

IEEESKHUESITFI

UKNLFRSEDKPTLVCZ


Respondents in Cyprus (62%) and Malta (62%) have the highest rates indicating that the CAP plays a fairly good role in helping farmers to adapt their production to consumer’s expectations. Poland (58%) and Belgium (57%) follow. On the contrary, respondents in the Czech Republic are only 22% to indicate the same opinion, a rate that is 21 percentage points below the EU25 average.

- 31 -


The highest increase in positive responses can be observed in Belgium (+17 points) and the United Kingdom (+17 points). Greece (+13 points), Italy (+11 points) and Luxembourg (+10 points) follow. On the other hand, this rate has decreased considerably in Ireland, dropping by 13 percentage points. The Netherlands has also seen a considerable decrease (- 6 points).


Option: Help farmers to adapt their production to consumer’s expectations


neutral

negative

Color Keypositive

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

The Netherlands

Austria

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

United Kingdom

57%

31%

54%

45%

40%

33%

43%

40%

52%

36%

48%

30%

38%

33%

38%


+17

0

9

13

7

-2

-13

11

10

-6

-1

1

1

4

17

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

- 32 -


- Favour and improve life in the countryside -

QB3.4 And do you think that the European Union’s agricultural policy currently plays its role fairly well or fairly badly to…? Favour and improve life in the countryside(% EU25)

71%

59%55%

52%48%

47%47%

43%43%

43%42%

40%

40%

39%38%

37%36%

36%32%

31%29%

26%25%

23%22%

22%

22%29%

34%

42%

23%39%

48%34%

40%

36%

54%34%

47%39%

42%49%

46%51%

55%54%

63%73%

58%

34%

24%

22%

27%

36%

8%

23%

29%

21%

5%

25%

21%

16%

9%

20%

8%

20%

20%

19%

14%26%

11%

18%

24%

19%

19%

14%

15%

15%

0% 100%

MTCYPLDELTBELUIEATSIUK

EU25

SKELIT

HUESEESECZPTFRNLDKFILV


Maltese respondents have by far the highest response rates indicating that the Common Agricultural Policy is playing its role fairly well in favouring and improving life in the countryside. Indeed 71% of citizens in Malta are of this opinion, which is a rate 31 percentage points above the EU25 average. Cyprus (59%) Poland (55%) and Germany (52%) follow with rates above the 50% mark. On the bottom of the graph we can see that Latvia and Finland have the lowest rates indicating this opinion, with only 22% in both countries. Denmark (23%), the Netherlands (25%) and France (26%) also have very low rates. Finland has the most negative opinion concerning the role played by the CAP in this field: 73% of Finns believe the CAP is playing its role fairly badly in this field.

- 33 -


The United Kingdom and Belgium have the highest increases in favour of this statement, with respectively +18 and +13 points since 2003. Ireland (-14 points), the Netherlands (-11 points), Finland (-7 points), Denmark (-6 points) and Austria (-3 points ) have seen their rates of positive responses drop somewhat.


Option: Favour and improve life in the countryside


neutral

negative

Color Keypositive

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

The Netherlands

Austria

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

United Kingdom

+13

-6

12

4

1

-6

-14

11

8

-11

-3

0

-7

3

18

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

47%

23%

52%

39%

36%

26%

43%

38%

47%

25%

43%

29%

22%

32%

42%


- 34 -


- Ensure stable and adequate incomes for farmers -

QB3.1 And do you think that the European Union’s agricultural

policy currently plays its role fairly well or fairly badly to…? Ensure stable and adequate incomes for farmers (% EU25)

54%52%

50%

47%47%

46%43%43%

41%

41%

37%

35%

34%34%33%33%

32%31%

30%30%

29%27%

23%23%

18%13%

34%33%

21%

44%

23%40%

35%

43%

51%

34%42%

56%46%

42%63%

42%52%

47%51%59%60%

58%62%

34%

6%

23%

35%

34%

18%

11%

18%

24%

27%

12%

23%

24%

25%

24%

26%

14%

32%30%

10%

19%

21%

13%

32%

28%

22%

17%

16%

21%

0% 100%

DEDKPLIELTBELUMTATCY

EU25

SIIT

UKELSEEEFI

ESNLSKPTFRHULVCZ


Only in three countries out of the 25 does a majority of respondents believe that the Common Agricultural Policy is playing its role fairly well in ensuring stable and adequate incomes for farmers. These are Germany (54%), Denmark (52%) and Poland (50%). The lowest rates are found in the Czech Republic (13%) and Latvia (18%). Finland is the country where we see the most negative opinion towards the CAP in this area, since 63% of its respondents declare that the CAP is playing its role rather badly here.

- 35 -


The map below shows us that Germany has seen the sharpest increase in its rate of positive responses since 2003 (+18 points). The United Kingdom (+16 points), Belgium (+15 points), Italy (+14 points) and Denmark (+13 points) also have significant increases. In the Netherlands, the rate has dropped by 7 points, making this the most important decrease among the 15 surveyed countries.



Option: Ensure stable and adequate incomes for farmers


neutral

negative

Color Keypositive

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

The Netherlands

Austria

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

United Kingdom

46%

52%

54%

33%

30%

23%

47%

34%

43%

30%

41%

27%

31%

33%

34%

+15

+13

+18

+6

0

-4

-5

+14

+5

-6

-1

+2

-2

+7

+16

- 36 -


- Reduce development gaps between regions -

QB3.5 And do you think that the European Union’s agricultural policy currently plays its role fairly well or fairly badly to…? Reduce development gaps between regions(% EU25)

52%48%

45%45%

42%41%41%

39%38%

37%

36%35%35%

34%34%34%34%33%

31%31%

29%28%

27%26%

22%17%

41%29%30%

33%

20%51%

37%

52%38%

37%43%

39%36%

46%44%

23%39%

31%61%

48%47%

50%53%

41%

26%

22%

23%

13%

32%

30%

27%

26%

28%

21%

16%

46%

12%

23%

40%

30%

12%

25%34%

26%

10%

26%28%

47%

11%

27%

26%

30%

0% 100%

DEBELUPLCYATMTLTSI

EU25

ELNLSEDKESIT

HUSKIEEEUKFIPTFRCZLV


Only in Germany does a majority of citizens (52%) believe that the Common Agricultural Policy is currently playing its role fairly well in reducing development gaps between regions. This can perhaps be explained by the fact that that Germany is a major contributor to the EU budget and has also seen Eastern Germany benefit from this help brought by the CAP. Again, Latvia has the lowest result in favour of the CAP, with only 17% of its citizens believing that the CAP is doing its job fairly well. The non-response rates are significantly high in Ireland (47%), Malta (46%), Lithuania (41%) and the United Kingdom (40%). Once again, we can note that Finland has the strongest rate of negative opinions towards the CAP concerning this issue, at 61%.

- 37 -


Belgium (+16 points) and Germany (+16 points) have seen their rates of positive responses increase the most since 2003. Ireland has the most significant decrease with a drop of 12 percentage points.


Option: Reduce development gaps between regions


neutral

negative

Color Keypositive

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

The Netherlands

Austria

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

United Kingdom

+16

+13

+16

+7

-1

-1

-12

+9

+3

-6

-5

+2

+1

+6

+13

48%

34%

52%

36%

34%

26%

31%

34%

45%

35%

41%

27%

28%

35%

29%


- 38 -


- Protect small or medium sized farms -


Protect small or medium sized farms (% EU25)

47%

45%

43%

40%

37%

37%

36%

35%

33%

32%

31%

30%

30%

29%

28%

28%

27%

25%

24%

22%

22%

20%

17%

17%

15%

11%

18%

44%

32%

48%

46%

39%

43%

52%

49%

41%

61%

60%

35%

47%

50%

52%

66%

60%

64%

56%

62%

67%

85%

20%

17%

24%

54%

37%

36%

12%

12%

27%

18%

26%

18%

27%

25%

21%

10%

18%

4%

37%

28%

9%

15%

28%

29%

24%

16%

22%

14%

37%

0% 100%

LUMT

DELTBE

ATITPLCY

SKHU

EU25

ESSI

ELIE

UK

PTEEDKSE

NLCZLV

FRFI


The area for which the CAP received the lowest rates of positive answers is for its role in protecting small or medium sized farms. Indeed, we can note that in none of the 25 surveyed countries do we see rates above the 50% mark. The highest positive response rates are found in Luxembourg (47%) and Malta (45%). The lowest rate is observed in Finland where only 11% of Finnish citizens believe that the CAP is playing its role fairly well in protecting these farmers. Indeed, the rate of respondents indicating “fairly badly” rises to 85%, which is 36 percentage points above the EU25 average. As seen earlier, the Finns show certain discontent with the current role played by the CAP for certain specific areas, which certainly influence directly the agriculture in this country.

- 39 -


The map below shows that Italy has seen its rate increase the most since 2003, up 12 percentage points. Germany (+10 points), Belgium (+9 points) and Luxembourg (+9 points) also have considerable increases in their rates of positive answers. On the other hand, Ireland (-16 points) and the Netherlands (-13 points) have seen their rates drop significantly since 2003.


Option: Protect small or medium sized farms


neutral

negative

Color Keypositive

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

The Netherlands

Austria

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

United Kingdom

+9

+4

+10

+1

0

-9

-16

+12

+9

-13

-6

+4

-7

-1

+7

37%

22%

43%

28%

30%

15%

28%

36%

47%

20%

37%

25%

11%

22%

27%


As we have seen throughout this part of the analysis, the Irish result compared with last year’s has tendency to drop significantly in almost all fields tested. The reform of the CAP’s functioning has left many Irish farmers significantly discontent with this reformed system, as some of their interests have been put into question. This discontent has no doubt reflected on the public opinion in Ireland, which can perhaps explain the decrease of positive opinions as to the perception of the role played by the CAP.

- 40 -

Documents

Europeans and the CAP (Eurobarometer)