Maria Heubuch | 2015

Land rush: Sellout of Europe’s agricultural land

The study “Land Rush - Sellout of Europe’s Agricultural Land” was commissioned by Maria Heubuch, Member of the European Parliament of the German Green Party, to shed light on the issue of land concentration in Europe. It shows that the concentration of agricultural land constitutes a major threat to sustainable small- and medium-scale agriculture and young farmers.

 

The report gives an overview of the current policy discussions at the EU level (European Economic and Social Committee, European Parliament) and at UN level (Tenure Guidelines). Looking at the cases of Germany and Romania, the study examines land concentration as a consequence of post-socialist privatisation policies. It describes the French policies aimed at controlling land transactions, land prices and rents. It analyses new challenges to European land market policies such as the sale of shares of companies which own land.

 

The study asks for urgent action to ensure access to land as the basis for sustainable family farming in Europe and it proposes a list of steps to be taken at national and EU level.

 

The study is available in German and English, and can also be accessed online here:

http://www.maria-heubuch.de/medien/publikationen/

  LandJäger_Heubuch_2015_DE   Landgrabbing_Heubuch_2015_EN