MILJÖAVGIFTER I FRANSKT JORDBRUK – AVANCERAD MILJÖPOLITIK MED FÖRHINDER / Environmental charges in French agriculture – advanced environmental policy with obstacles
Pollution of land and water resources from agricultural production have become a major concern inside most member countries of the European Union (EU). This is basically due to concentrations of farm units, specialization and intensification of the production processes. The new EU Water Framework Directive gives possibilities to introduce environmental charges as a measure to cope with the deteriorating environmental situation. In this article the experience of the French system of environmental charges in agricultural production is described and discussed. These charges are levied by the six Agence de I’Eau. The evaluation so far is chat in the most important agricultural country the EU goal of a sound environmental policy and a sustainable agricultural production lies far away in the future, unless the EU agricultural policy is radically changed.