Between 2000 and 2009, employment in the agricultural sector in the EU27 decreased by 25%, the equivalent of 3.7 million full-time jobs, according to a new report by EUROSTAT published today. It fell by 17% in the EU15 and by 31% in the 12 New Member States (NMS).

In 2009, employment in the agricultural sector was equivalent to 11.2 million full-time jobs in the EU27, of which 5.4 million were in the EU15 and 5.8 million in the NMS12.

Between 2000 and 2009, real agricultural income per worker increased by 5% on average in the EU27, although the change differed significantly between the NMS12 (+61%) and the EU15 (-10%).

Between 2008 and 2009, real agricultural income per worker fell by 11.6% in the EU27. Real agricultural income per worker fell in 21 Member States, remained nearly unchanged in two and rose in four. The largest decreases were found in Hungary (-32%), Luxembourg (-25%), Ireland (-24%), Germany and Italy (both -21%), and the highest increases in Malta (+8%) and Denmark (+4%).

“These figures underline what a difficult year farmers faced last year, and how important CAP support was in maintaining farm incomes and stabilising prices using the existing market instruments,” EU Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Ciolo? underlined today. “Without the basic income stability provided by direct aids, farmers would not be able to deliver the public goods that they provide. Nevertheless, we need to make our policy more efficient and more easily understood and our agriculture more sustainable and more competitive. This is why I have launched a public debate on clarifying the main objectives for further reforming the CAP after 2013.”