An Analysis on the Changes of the EU Agri-Environmental Policy
This study aims at providing with the implication of the EU agri-environmental policy which modestly started in 1985 as an optional policy for the Member States and developed as one of main measures for the reformed CAP in 2013. The first AES was the ESA scheme which had a focus on specific areas where were regarded as having a high natural value and assisted farmers who were voluntarily participated in the scheme. Such a small scale measure has developed as a main policy of the CAP from several reforming processes. It is now applying for the entire land of the EU and necessary for every Member State to introduce the AES measures in their rural development plan. With the principle of cross-compliance and the whole farm approach, it is possible to encourage the European farmers to change their ways of farming into low-input farming. This is the best way to achieve sustainable farming and rural development. This analysis on the changing process of the AES provides the Korean government with somewhat logical perspective on the reform of agricultural policy. The most important thing is to recognise that protecting and restorating environmental and biological resource must precede economical utilising the rural resource.