Experience with Agri-Environmental Schemes in EU and Non-EU Members
Résumé
This paper primarily illustrates the great diversity of Agri-Environmental Schemes (AESs) in the world. Given a common legislation, the European Union (EU) shows a wide variety of implementation patterns across Members. This results from a series of factors among which a key one is the distribution of public support between the two pillars of the Common Agricultural Policy. This discriminates former EU members and new entrants. In addition, past experience with environmental policy also accounts for differences between the two categories. Indeed, former entrants have applied a less ambitious policy than new Members. Otherwise, a successful implementation of AESs requires an effective participation of local actors, as well as simple and transparent administrative procedures. This is acknowledged by the new rural development regulation.