Abstract:
The aim of this thesis was to provide a thorough insight into the European funding policy and
the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in particular. In addition, it should be examined to what
extent the CAP ensures effective funding at the regional level based on the needs of the local
farmers there and to what extent adjustments would be necessary to ensure the
implementation of a common and sustainable European agricultural policy, as well as to enable
small and medium-sized farms in particular to facilitate potential for development in the
current process of concentration.
The thesis offers a comprehensible insight into the current European funding policy with its
goals, challenges and processes. The structure and development of agricultural subsidies, the
current financial instruments and the characteristics of the application, award and control
processes are explained and summarized.
Furthermore, major undesirable developments in CAP and their associated effects on the
agricultural market and European society are emphasized in detail. Especially, the effects on
the labour market, the animal welfare, the development of land prices, the biodiversity, the
health, climate, soil and water protection, the world trade and the market exit of small and
medium-sized farms are highlighted.
Case studies and the evaluation of statistical data describe the comparative situation of the
German and Romanian agriculture in just as much detail as the system comparison of the CAP
with the comparable conditions of the US agriculture. The effects of subsidies or changes of
subsidies and their characteristics on farms and the associated procurement and sales
markets are examined in detail and the respective developments are reviewed.
The evaluation of two surveys with the same content in the regions of Westmünsterland and
in the Banat near the city of Timisoara provide a detailed basic assessment of the current CAP
and enable conclusions to be drawn about necessary adjustments. It was examined whether
and to what extent the predatory competition takes place at the expense of small and
medium-sized farms. It was crucial to answer the question of whether and to what extent the
displacement of small and medium-sized farms is caused by subsidies for large companies.
Furthermore, an in-depth, comparative analysis of the two survey regions was carried out and
the influence of subsidy payments on key success and competitive factors in agriculture was
examined, as well as a discussion of possible alternatives to subsidy payments for
strengthening these factors.
The current degree of digitisation in agriculture in comparison to industrial digitisation as a
whole was presented and the importance of an advancing digitisation for the future survival
on the market was examined.
The results of both surveys and of the analysis concerning the current state of digitisation in
agriculture finally offer predefined starting points for future research. Five thought models
were briefly outlined and qualitatively assessed concerning to their feasibility.
