Mechanisms and Interventions for Sustainable and Competitive Agriculture in Implementation of the Objectives of the New CAP 2023–2027 – Institutional Support and Strategic Priorities
Mechanisms and Interventions for Sustainable and Competitive Agriculture in Implementation of the Objectives of the New CAP 2023–2027 – Institutional Support and Strategic Priorities

Author(s): Teodorina Turlakova, Yordan Georgiev
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Economy, Business Economy / Management, Agriculture, Governance, Public Administration, Economic policy, EU-Approach / EU-Accession / EU-Development
Published by: Университет за национално и световно стопанство (УНСС)
Keywords: CAP; institutional theory; sustainable agriculture; structural change
Summary/Abstract: This study examines the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for 2023–2027 through the lens of institutional theory, emphasizing its role as an integrative mechanism balancing economic, social, and environmental objectives. The report aims to explore the new CAP 2023–2027 as a form of institutional support for the construction of strategies, mechanisms, and interventions, as well as their expected influence on agricultural holdings. The reformed CAP focuses on four strategic objectives: promoting sustainable and climate-neutral agriculture; providing fairer and more targeted support for small and medium-sized farms; enhancing Member States’ flexibility in policy implementation; and introducing performance-based monitoring and evaluation systems. Empirical analysis, particularly from Bulgaria, shows significant structural changes in agriculture, including a sharp decline in small farms and agricultural employment, alongside increased land concentration and mechanization. While CAP has fostered modernization and competitiveness, subsidy distribution remains unequal, with about 20% of farms receiving 80% of support. This highlights challenges related to social equity, economic efficiency, and sectoral sustainability. The data also emphasize the need to align institutional frameworks with tangible farm-level outcomes to ensure policy objectives translate into measurable practices. Institutional analysis identifies three dimensions of CAP: regulatory, normative, and cultural-cognitive. The regulatory dimension is expressed through binding legal requirements, the normative through principles of solidarity, fairness, and sustainability, and the cultural-cognitive through the development of new environmental attitudes among farmers. Nonetheless, excessive administrative burden, procedural complexity, and dependency on subsidies limit overall effectiveness. The study concludes that CAP 2023–2027 represents a key step toward sustainable governance of European agriculture and rural areas. Its transformative potential depends on the EU’s capacity to overcome systemic inequalities, reduce bureaucracy, and achieve measurable ecological outcomes. Long-term success requires a balanced integration of economic efficiency, social equity, and environmental responsibility within a unified strategic framework, ensuring that institutional mechanisms generate tangible results at the farm level.

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