The main objectives of the CAP, in citizens' views, should be providing safe, healthy food of high quality (62% of respondents, same as in 2017), protecting the environment and tackling climate change (52%), as well as ensuring a fair standard of living for farmers (51%).
With concern to agriculture and climate change, around seven in ten Europeans (69%, 2% more than in 2009) say they agree with the statement "EU farmers need to change the way they work in order to fight climate change even if that means that EU agriculture will be less competitive".
More citizens are now aware of the EU organic farming logo, covering 56% of respondents (up 29% compared to 2017). Although more than nine in ten Europeans agree that food products coming from organic agriculture are more expensive than other food products, at least two thirds of respondents associate organic products with higher standards.
With concern to EU quality labels, one in five respondents (20%, +2 % more than in 2017) know the protected geographical indication (PGI) logo, while only 14% are aware of both the protected designation of origin (PDO) and the traditional specialty guaranteed (TSG) logos.
Commissioned by the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, to explore public opinion about agriculture, rural areas and the CAP, the survey covers the following topics:
- Opinions about the importance of agriculture and rural areas;
- The role of agriculture and farmers in fighting climate change;
- The situation of rural areas, and how things have changed over the past ten years;
- The responsibilities of farmers in our society;
- What the main objectives of agriculture and rural development policies should be;
- Awareness of the CAP, opinions about how it is performing, and views on its priorities and contribution to EU society;
- Who benefits most from the CAP;
- Financial support for farmers now and in the future, including justification for the CAP's budget, and views on payments for implementing environmentally friendly practices;
- Factors that influence the purchase of food products, including the role of quality labels;
- Opinions about international trade in agricultural products including trade barriers and trade agreements;
- Change in the area covered by forests over the past ten years, and opinions about the main benefits provided by forests.
Where possible, results from the current survey were compared to those of previous surveys on this topic (in 2017, 2015, 2013, 2011, 2009 and 2007).
The full report of the EU-survey will be published later in November. The executive summary is available online.
More information is available in the dedicated news item Sustainability, rural areas, food security: Commission publishes public opinion survey on EU food and farming.
See also:
2017 Eurobarometer: Europeans, Agriculture and the CAP | Rural development | The common agricultural policy at a glance | Organics at a glance
The survey included more than 27,200 respondents in 27 Member States. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the methodology had to be adapted, with some interviews conducted online.
