Bio-energy Policies in the EU: Role and Future Perspective of the CAP

The production of bio-energy has known an impressive development during the last decade, determined by the setting of ambitious targets for the use of renewable energy sources (RES). Energy crops have a minor role among the RES, but their use for the production of bio-energy products (biogas, bio-fuels) and of bio-energy (electricity, heating) has a great impact on the use of agricultural land. The common agricultural policy (CAP) provides some incentives for the cultivation of energy crops and for the processing at farm level. The impact of those measures is real but only to a limited extent, especially when compared with the incentives at industrial level and on the demand side. The fulfilment of the EU targets for RES through domestic production of energy crops would probably hit seriously the agro-food sector. Technical innovation at agricultural and industrial level would grant some benefit but do not appear decisive. The role of he European agriculture in this sector must be well defined in view of the potential feedback on the food sector. International trade for the supply of bio-energy and bio-energy products could be used in a strategic way. A new role for the European agriculture must be designed, mainly playing on synergies at international level.