Dynamic analysis of european organic agricultural areas in the context of sustainable development

Abstract

The aim of this research was to analyze changes in the size of the European organic agricultural areas between 2000 and 2014 and assess the factors that influenced and differentiated EU member states in this context. The analyses showed the development potential of the EU countries for extension of organic agricultural areas in a comparative manner, based on their future economic development capacities. The article used two multivariate statistical methods, principal components analysis and multiple regression method, to establish and assess the influence of the main factors that contributed to changes in the size of national organic areas. The main factors in 2014 were the European financing for agriculture and rural development, and the migration phenomenon.