Agricultural and food prices

Tackling the challenge of rising food prices - directions for EU action (Commission Communication May 2008)

The May 2008 Communication analyses structural and cyclical factors and proposes a three-pronged policy response which consists of the following measures:

1. short-term: the Health Check of the Common Agricultural Policy and monitoring of the retail sector under the Single Market Review in line with competition and internal market principles.
   
   
2. longer-term: initiatives to enhance agricultural supply and ensure food security including
   
   
   • the promotion of sustainable criteria for biofuels and development of future generations of biofuels in Europe and at international level, and
     
     
   • strengthening agricultural research and knowledge dissemination especially in developing countries.
     
     
3. Initiatives to contribute to the global effort to tackle the effects of price rises on poor populations including:
   
   
   • a more coordinated international response to the food crisis, in particular in the UN and G8 context;
     
     
   • continued open trade policy offering preferential access to the EU market to the world's poorest countries;
     
     
   • swift response to immediate short-term humanitarian needs;
     
     
   • targeting development aid at longer-term projects to revitalise developing country agriculture.

Background and analysis: Why did prices increase? Summary paper on high food prices available [pdf] in: High commodity prices: causes and prospects available [pdf] in: Causes of food price increase available in: Eurostat news release on food prices (02/06/2008) available [pdf] in:

Introduction

Communication December 2008

Communication May 2008

Commission Communication
(20/05/2008)
available [pdf] in:
 

Press release
available in:

Presidency Conclusions of the Brussels European Council (19-20/06/2008) points 25-40 on food prices [pdf]

Speech by Commissioner Fischer Boel:

"Who will feed the World? The answers from the EU"
(Conference: "Who will feed the World?", Brussels, 03/07/2008)