Because of high population density in Europe agriculture cannot define its aims on its own but has to take account of quite a number of demands from different actors. For instance, agriculture is expected to produce food and at the same time to contribute to the protection of cultural landscapes...

The aim of this contribution is to examine how the French and theGerman positions on agricultural policy have developed since thefoundation of the EEC and what the driving forces were behind. The“general consensus” underlying the EEC treaty, and according towhich the common market would be...