Ecological Sustainability and the Law: the European Green Deal and the New Frontiers of Sustainability - "Sustainability in the Agri-Food Sector: The Tortuous Path of Common Agriculture Policy towards a Food System Approach"

The European Union (EU)’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has undergone a remarkable transformation since its beginning in 1962. From the narrowly-productivist approach of its origins, aimed at reaching market stability and food security, the CAP has gone through several reforms that have progressively introduced measures to protect environmental and social interests. This Chapter asks whether such evolution has aligned the CAP with a broader ‘food system approach’, as envisioned by the Green Deal (GD) strategy for the EU agri- food sector. The GD and its related strategies, such as the Farm to Fork (F2F) and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, have set the stage for a substantial shift in the EU’s conception of agri-food sus- tainability. By focusing on the agri-food and agri-environmental sec- tor, this Chapter aims to dissect the nature of the CAP’s evolution, scrutinize how the new CAP (2023-2027) intends to embrace the principles of agri-food sustainability established by the GD through a food system approach, and assess the role of Member States in imple- menting these changes through their CAP National Strategic Plans (CSPs). In doing so, it seeks to elucidate the innovative elements in- troduced by the new CAP for a sustainable agri-food sector while also addressing the inconsistencies that may challenge its overarching ob- jectives. The Chapter is structured as follows. First, it traces the evolution of the CAP from its inception, highlighting the shift in its goals and priori- ties, particularly its growing responsiveness to environmental and social concerns (paras. 2-6). Second, it delves into the impact of the GD and its strategies on the transition to sustainable food systems, with a particular focus on the F2F and the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. Since the CAP plays a crucial role in the transition, the Chapter evaluates the structure, characteristics, and targets of the new CAP 2023. To analyse the effec- tiveness of the new CAP, it turns its attention to Member States and their CSPs, evaluating how sustainability concepts are being translated into action at a national level (paras. 7-11). The inquiry shows the progress made by the new CAP in fostering a fairer, greener, and more systematic agri-food sector, while also underlining the challenges and inconsisten- cies that may hinder the realization of its intended goals.