Statistics Explained

Glossary:Agri-environmental indicator (AEI)

A set of 28 agri-environmental indicators, sometimes abbreviated AEI, have been set up in order to monitor the integration of environmental concerns into the Common agricultural policy (CAP). These indicators serve to:

  • provide information on the farmed environment;
  • track the impact of agriculture on the environment;
  • assess the impact of agricultural and environmental policies on environmental management of farms;
  • inform agricultural and environmental policy decisions;
  • illustrate agri-environmental relationships to the broader public.


The indicators are presented here. Some of the indicators are also used as CAP context indicators or Sustainable development indicators. The AEIs were set up through a Commission Communication COM(2006) 508 final.