The agricultural aspects of Hungarian accession to the EU

Having analysed the post-transition development of Hungarian agriculture, this paper concludes that in spite of some significant achievements, Hungarian agriculture still struggles with certain crisis phenomena in production, profitability, efficiency, competitiveness, financing, employment and sales. The prime agricultural objective of Hungary’s accession to the EU is to modernize the country’s agriculture and increase its efficiency and competitiveness. Fulfilment can be expected by obtaining equal and unlimited access to the EU financial funds. The main question is whether Hungary, on acceding to the EU, can gain equal access to these funds, and if so, under what conditions. A second agricultural objective of accession is to find expanding markets and improved (free, unrestricted) market access for agricultural goods in the enlarged EU, since Hungary needs the annual export revenues of USD 1.5-2.0 billion produced by agriculture to maintain its trade and current-account balances. The third and probably among the biggest gains from accession to the EU for agriculture and the rural population will be the benefits of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).