Abstract:

Europe belongs to continents with relatively high agricultural land use. Agricultural land covers over half of its area. Agricultural land resources in the Member States of the European Union are very diverse in terms of qualitative and quantitative features. The terrain, soil quality and agro-climatic conditions are different. The area of countries in the European Union, the place of agriculture in the economy of a given country, traditions or agricultural culture are different. In the analysed years, the total area of arable land in the European Union decreased. It was a consequence of allocating agricultural land to communication, housing estate, industrial or commercial and service areas. Part of the farmland excluded from production was very good and good in terms of agriculture. Such a phenomenon should be critically assessed in relation to the relatively small resources of these soils. Afforestation of agriculturally weak soils is a rational solution. This is conducive to the implementation of the idea of sustainable rural development and multifunctionality of villages (Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union). As a result, the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union indirectly affects the formation of agricultural land resources. National policies of the Member States of the European Union regulate the protection of agricultural land. There is no uniform model for shaping agricultural land resources in the European Union.