Information measures relating to the Common Agricultural Policy

Topic description

Scope:

1. Background

This is a call for proposals for information measures based on Article 45 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on the financing, management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy.

This call for proposals is also governed by Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union^[1].

An information measure is a self-contained and coherent set of information activities organized on the basis of a single budget.

2. Objectives — Themes – Target public

Objectives

The general objective of the call is to build trust within the EU and among all citizens, farmers and non-farmers alike. The common agricultural policy (CAP), is a policy for all the citizens of the EU and the benefits that it provides to them must be clearly demonstrated.

The key issues and messaging should be fully consistent with the Commission’s legal requirement to carry out information measures on the CAP within the meaning of Article 45 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013. The proposals submitted shall provide coherent, objective and comprehensive information, both inside and outside the Union, in order to give an accurate overall picture of the CAP.

The focus should be on addressing misperceptions and disinformation about European agriculture and the CAP using facts and backed up with data with a view to raising public awareness on the relevance of EU support to agriculture and rural development through the CAP.

Themes

The proposals for information measures shall illustrate how the CAP should continue contributing towards the delivery of the Commission’s political priorities.

The Common Agricultural Policy is one of the EU's most important policies. It is a partnership between agriculture and society and between Europe and its farmers. It is a common policy for all the countries of the EU. The CAP has a number of aims such as supporting farmers and improving agricultural production, maintaining rural areas and landscapes, keeping the rural economy alive and helping tackle climate change and the sustainable management of natural resources.

Having regard to those aims and, particularly, to the ever-increasing focus on the sustainability of agriculture, the proposals for information measures should address specifically this topic focusing on the economic, environmental and social dimensions of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Target public

The target public for the themes is the general public (in particular young people in urban areas) and/or farmers and other parties active in rural areas. The focus of information on the CAP would put greater emphasis on addressing the (mis-) perceptions of European agriculture, the role of farming in society and the need for greater understanding of the enormous contribution the EU agri-food sector provides to the wider EU economy.

More specifically:

• For school children, teachers and university students: novel approaches should be used to engage with young people and raise their awareness of the CAP and the contribution that it makes in many areas such as the climate change challenge, food, healthy and high quality eating as a lifestyle choice, in relation also with the EU School Scheme for Milk, Fruit and Vegetables^[2] and Tartu Call^[3].
• For stakeholders: it should be ensured that there is greater awareness of the contribution that the CAP makes to the support of sustainability of agriculture.

[1]Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 (OJ L 193/1, 30.7.2018).

[2]Regulation (EU) 2016/791 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2016 amending Regulations (EU) No 1308/2013 and (EU) No 1306/2013 as regards the aid scheme for the supply of fruit and vegetables, bananas and milk in educational establishments.

[3]The Tartu Call is designed to promote and support healthier lifestyles for European citizens of all ages. With a special emphasis on the young generation: Children who learn healthy habits are more likely to maintain them in later life.