Funding for Farmland Biodiversity in the EU: Gaining Evidence for the EU Budget Review
This report aims to initiate a transparent debate on the purpose, intensity and spatial distribution of expenditure on the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) from the perspective of the protection and enhancement of farmland biodiversity. It does this through a detailed analysis of the CAP budget and the presentation of a number of maps showing the regional variation in the distribution and intensity of both Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 payments. In addition, five qualitative case studies examine the use of specific CAP measures in more detail, and an assessment is made of the role they might play in biodiversity protection. The evidence suggests that in order to help meet the EU’s international commitment to halt the loss of biodiversity, CAP funding could be better distributed between the two Pillars and within the Member States, and the allocation of funds to and use of different rural development measures could be improved.