Social conditionality: An adequate legal response to challenges faced by agricultural workers in the EU, or an example of redwashing within the Common Agricultural Policy?

Abstract

This article provides a doctrinal legal analysis of the ‘social conditionality’ mechanism introduced in the latest reform of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Building on that analysis, the article proceeds to assess the likelihood of social conditionality improving the conditions of agricultural workers in the EU, thereby achieving the objectives set out for it by the EU legislator. The article concludes that due to numerous issues regarding its legal architecture, including limitations in its scope, the absence of novel requirements imposed on farmers, and the rather limited dissuasive effect of its enforcement mechanism, social conditionality is unlikely to improve the conditions for agricultural workers in the EU. Therefore, it is ultimately proposed that social conditionality might more appropriately be considered as an example of ‘redwashing’ within the CAP rather than an adequate legal response to the challenges faced by agricultural workers in the EU.