Public expectations and EU commitment on agriculture

According to a new Eurobarometer survey of the European Parliament on ‘perceptions and expectations’, half of EU citizens would like to see stronger EU intervention in agriculture. The support is very unevenly distributed amongst Member States – very strong support in countries including Romania (74%), Cyprus (72%), Portugal (69%), Spain (68%); and very low support in others led by Denmark (23%), Netherlands (27%) and Sweden (28%). Compared to all other policy areas researched, agriculture is the one with the highest number of citizens evaluating EU action as excessive – although only 9% of them do so. Overall, 35% evaluate the EU’s current approach to agricultural policy as adequate and 43% as insufficient.