Unravelling the ties between EU policy and farming practices: a multi-level governance approach to Agri-Environmental Schemes

The European Union (EU) has included biodiversity protection as a central issue in its long term objectives, reflecting the recognition of the vital role ecosystems play in sustaining life and supporting human well-being (Hermoso et al., 2022). While studying the main drivers of biodiversity decline, scientific literature has underlined a significant contribution of the prevailing agricultural practices (Benton et al., 2021; CBD, 2022; Dudley European Environment Agency, 2019; Mupepele et al., 2021; Seppelt et al., 2021). Over the last few decades, this issue has been incorporated in EU public policies and, starting with the MacSharry reform in 1992, both pillars of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) have integrated biodiversity protection and other environmental objectives under the Environmental Policy Integration (EPI) process (Feindt, 2010). Yet, even if its overarching objectives are defined at EU level, the CAP policy framework is fundamentally shaped by national and regional levels, under the principle of subsidiarity. This principle, introduced in the early 90s during a change in the EU political zeitgeist and targeting political areas such as the environment (Jordan & Jeppesen, 2000), states that decision-making should take place at the lowest administrative level consistent with effective actions (Van Kersbergen & Verbeek,1994). This shapes the governance – i.e. binding decision-making process in the public sphere (Hooghe & Marks, 2010) – under which the CAP policy framework is implemented within each MS.