Food and Agriculture in the Czech Republic: From a 'Velvet' Transition to the Challenges of EU Accession

'Becoming a member of the European Union is one of the most important objectives of the Czech Republic for the coming years, both for the government, and for the Czech society as a whole.' With the exception of a few traditional Czech products, the Czech Republic is not a major exporter of agricultural goods due to its land-locked position and relatively poor product differentiation. Since the 'velvet revolution' in 1989, agricultural production has declined. To conform to European Union standards for accession, the Czech Republic needs to make some adjustments. This report reviews the current state of Czech agriculture and agro-industry in the context of EU accession. It analyzes institutional reforms and their actual impacts and proposes a series of adjustments to complete the reforms in the agricultural sector. This report is intended for agricultural scientists, public officials, agricultural and agro-industrial leaders, and researchers interested in the transformation of agriculture in the transition economies and in issues pertaining to accession of Central and East European candidate countries to the European Union.