The agricultural and rural constituency is important.
Rural areas cover 90 % of the EU’s territory and are home to approximately 50 % of its population.
Agriculture and forestry are the main land users and play a key role in the management of natural resources in rural areas and in determining the rural landscape.
Agriculture makes a valuable contribution to the socio-economic development of rural areas and full realisation of their growth potential.
Agriculture’s wider contribution to the EU’s prosperity is considerable.
The agri-food sector (including beverages) accounts for 14.2 % of total EU manufacturing output, with EUR 675 billion worth of production.
It is the third largest employer in Europe and the second biggest exporter of foodstuffs globally, with agricultural exports worth EUR 61.088 billion in 2002.