On Tuesday September 20 at the Council of Ministers of Agriculture, representatives of 27 Member States discussed the future of the European food program to the most deprived. While this assistance has broad support from citizens and NGOs, its removal could increase criticisms towards the EU. The Member States dividing arguments are explained by this “policy paper” published by Notre Europe and allows a better understanding of the debate. The controversy raises two visions: the first one emphasizes the social dimension of the aid – contribute to food security for the most deprived people – the second one mostly considers the historical aim of stabilizing agricultural markets. But the decreasing of “intervention stocks” would make the program obsolete. Notre Europe’s publication explains the genesis of this food program, launched in 1987, and pleads for its strengthening.

This text is extract of the policy paper N°45 «Is the CAP a ground for European solidarity or disunion?», Notre Europe, June 2011.