The Economics of European Agriculture

The Economics of European Agriculture explains the Demand and Supply characteristics of agricultural markets, as well as government intervention in agriculture, with an emphasis on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Bernadette Andreosso-O'Callaghan also analyses the fifth enlargement and its implications for agriculture in Europe, technology and innovation, and agricultural trade liberalization. Bernadette Andreosso-O'Callaghan offers a comprehensive description and analysis of the EU agricultural system in a global context. Starting with introductory and theoretical chapters on how agricultural markets work, the book explores the historical developments leading to the Common Agricultural Policy. A full chapter devoted to innovation and technological change evaluates the impact of new ideas and techniques in European agriculture over several centuries. Topical issues such as the enlargement to Central and East European countries and CAP reforms, the problems of GMOs, food security, food safety and poverty alleviation are also dealt with in the book. Finally, the theme of the EU as a major global agricultural producer and trader in the world leads to the analysis of WTO negotiations, and also to the examination of the EU preferential trade regimes with respect to a number of developing economies, such as the ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) countries Front Matter....Pages i-xvi Introduction....Pages 1-3 Concepts and Definitions....Pages 4-40 Demand and Supply — Market Mechanisms for Agricultural Products....Pages 41-64 Government Intervention in Agriculture....Pages 65-88 The Common Agricultural Policy....Pages 89-130 Technology and Innovation....Pages 131-165 A Wider European Union: Enlargement to Central and Eastern Europe, Cyprus and Malta....Pages 166-188 The EU as an Agricultural Trade Partner....Pages 189-219 Agricultural Trade Liberalization....Pages 220-251 Conclusions: The Future of EU and World Agriculture — The Challenges Ahead....Pages 252-257 Back Matter....Pages 258-267 "Bernadette Andreosso-O'Callaghan is Jean Monnet Professor of European Economic Integration and Director of the Euro-Asia Centre, University of Limerick."--Jacket. The field of agricultural economics is delineated by the application of economic science tools to the agricultural sector.