FARMERS’ COOPERATIVES IN THE EU: POLICIES, STRATEGIES, AND ORGANIZATION

TLDR

Cooperatives are claimed to be important for European farmers, yet empirical evidence supporting this claim is scarce. The article outlines a future research agenda for European farmers’ cooperatives. The issue compiles studies from the EU‑wide “Support for Farmers’ Cooperatives” survey, examining trends in internal organization, institutional environment, and market strategies of cooperatives. Cooperatives hold varying market shares across sectors and countries, with performance driven by policies, strategies, and internal organization.

Abstract

ABSTRACT The importance of cooperatives for European farmers has often been claimed but empirical studies to support this claim are scarce. This special issue presents a number of articles on the recent development and status of agricultural cooperatives in the European Union, based on original data collected in the EU‐wide study ‘Support for Farmers’ Cooperatives’. The articles focus on trends in the internal organization, the institutional environment, and the strategies that cooperatives have developed in supply chains and markets. This introductory article presents data on the market shares that cooperatives hold in different sectors and countries, and introduces the three key determinants of performance of cooperatives: policies, strategies and internal organization. Finally, the article develops a future research agenda.