Administrative Hindrances in the Process of Introducing the Common Agrarian Policy in Bulgaria and Romania

For Bulgaria and Romania, the introduction of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union represented an important policy measure. However, the administrations of these countries face challenges in the development of capacities for effectively managing CAP instruments. This paper explores the existing obstacles in the provision of administrative services. The findings show that the large number of smallholders living in Bulgaria and Romania requires processing a high number of applications, some of which subsequently trickle away into a complex administrative structure. Moreover, there are deficits in data collection and processing, while an over-centralisation of decision-making hampers administrative procedures. Based on the discussed obstacles, the article outlines approaches for the improvement of administrative service delivery in new member countries like Bulgaria and Rumania. In particular, the future design of the CAP should pay more attention to the specific conditions of transition countries, such as their high share of smallholders.