FOREWORD
In the historical process of European integration, economic policy in the agri-food sector has played a fundamental role.
Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs), gradually recovering from the economic depression generated by the traumatic transition from centrally planned to market oriented regimes are adopting quite diversified agricultural policies. Some countries are maintaining a substantially liberal approach. Others are more oriented to a CAP-like policy, gradually increasing the overall level of agricultural protection and domestic support.
The uncertain attitude of the Council of Ministers of the European
Union about the completion of the 1992 CAP reform by extending
it to the remaining commodities, milk, sugar, fruit and vegetables,
and by further decoupling farm subsidies from production does
not provide CEECs with clear indications of the likely features
of the agricultural policy prevailing in the European Union in
the next decade. This circumstance contributes to the uncertainty
and heterogeneity of present agricultural policies in CEECs.
Expenditure on agri-food policy measures in the European Community
has always been huge, varying between one half of to three quarters
of the budget. The most difficult problems faced in the enlargement
of the Community to the North and to the South were very often
related to agriculture, and the enlargement to the East is no
exception to this general rule.
The Network for Agricultural Policy Research and Development (NAP)
concentrates its activity in analyzing the effects of alternative
policy measures implemented in Europe by the European Union and
by the CEECs. Actual and alternative policy measures are described
and analyzed especially in terms of their impact on the countries
involved, European and global efficiency of resource allocation,
inter-sectoral, inter-personal and inter-regional income distribution,
and sustainability.
The result of this work has been primarily presented in annual
interministerial conferences where Ministers of Agriculture of
CEECs discuss their policy problems and compare the empirical
results of policy measures.
In the first General Meeting of Membership of the Network held in Bucharest, Romania on 15-18 April 1996, a wide variety of papers were presented and discussed. A selection of these papers is presented in this book, edited by the NAP Secretariat, Ms. Slobodanka B. Teodosijevic. The Network is pleased to present this collection of papers as its first published contribution toward informed agricultural policy in Europe.
CONTENTS