25. Statement Social media is all about empowerment. There’s no role for the public sector to get involved.
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27. Case The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is a system of EU agricultural subsidies. It represents almost half of the EU’s budget, but by 2013, the share of traditional CAP spending is projected to decrease significantly to a third. In contrast, the amounts for the EU's Regional Policy represented 17% of the EU budget in 1988. They will probably more than double in 2013. The aim of the common agricultural policy (CAP) is to provide farmers with a reasonable standard of living, consumers with quality food at fair prices and to preserve rural heritage. In April 2010, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural development, Dacian Cioloş, launched a public debate on the future of the CAP. The online debate focussed on 4 questions: Why do we need a common agricultural policy? What do citizens expect from agriculture? Why reform the CAP? What tools do we need for the CAP of tomorrow? The Netherlands wants the CAP to improve innovation and competiveness. It should also reward farmers and rural entrepreneurs for delivering public services that improve sustainability, biodiversity, attractiveness of the landscape etc. This makes it necessary to get all stakeholders (and citizens) involved to get satisfying results that are broadly accepted.