Survey: Three quarters of Europeans are aware of CAP

Three out of four Europeans are aware of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and consider all citizens benefit from it, according to the European Commission.

The results are revealed in the latest EU-wide Eurobarometer survey of public opinion about agriculture and the CAP.

The survey shows that more EU citizens are aware of the CAP (73% today, 6% more than in 2017) and believe that the CAP benefits all citizens, not only farmers (76% today, 15% more than in 2017).

Furthermore, citizens’ views on what the main objectives of the CAP should be, remain similar to the findings of the 2017 survey.

Most believe that providing safe, healthy food of high quality should be the main objective, representing the view of 62% of respondents, same as in 2017.

Nearly all respondents (95%) think that agriculture and rural areas are important for ‘our future’ in the EU.

This year’s survey also found that 52% of citizens think that one of the main objectives should be protecting the environment and tackling climate change, as well as ensuring a fair standard of living for farmers (51%).

Financial support

In terms of financial support, the survey found that an increased number of citizens think that the support provided to farmers is too low, increasing by 13%, from 26% of respondents in 2017 to 39% in 2020.

This was also reflected when citizens were asked if they believe that the EU should increase its support to farmers – 56% of citizens think it should increase over the next 10 years, up 12% points compared to 2017.

Climate change

Even though a growing share of citizens believe that agriculture is one of the major causes of climate change (from 29% in 2010 to 42% in 2020), the majority of citizens believe that agriculture has already made a major contribution in fighting climate change, with 55% holding this view.

In terms of rural areas, citizens most believe that the environment and landscape (82%); access to leisure and cultural activities (56%); and educational facilities (54%) can be qualified as good.

However, when asked how rural areas have evolved in the last 10 years, access to high-speed internet is highlighted as the one that improved most (55% agree), while job opportunities is the one seen as having got worse (42% agree).