Production and uses of grain legumes in the European Union.

Europe, with Russia included, comprises 36 countries and in 1997 had approximately 720 million inhabitants. The region covers extremely diverse climates, soils, and eating habits and produces a wide range of grain legumes. This paper will focus on the 15 countries (the EU 15) of the western part of Europe which form the European Union (EU) a group with a Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). It represents 370 million inhabitants and 3.2 million km2. Before Austria, Sweden and Finland joined in 1995 there was the EU 12.