The year 2014 has been a momentous year for the common agricultural policy (CAP) and for agricultural trade relations with our partner countries in the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of states. We have seen the beginning of the implementation of the CAP reform and successfully concluded economic partnership agreements (EPAs) with many ACP countries. Agriculture is central to the EPAs: 60 % of the population of sub-Saharan Africa rely on farming for their livelihoods and it is the key sector for economic growth in the least developed regions. The EPAs have been crafted to boost regional trade, open EU markets and allow developing countries to protect sensitive sectors from the effects of liberalisation, especially in agriculture. We have also agreed to far-reaching policy dialogue and cooperation with our partners, including the commitment to forego any potential use of export refunds on products exported to African countries participating in the comprehensive EPAs. These EPAs are an example of how policy coherence with development objectives — a key topic of this publication — is given practical effect. The year 2015 promises to be another crucial year for agricultural and development policy. The CAP and agricultural trade policy will continue to align closely with development policy and ensure that market access to the EU can be a motor for agricultural investment and growth in developing countries. In addition, the global community intends to finalise the new sustainable development goals, and their means of implementation, that will guide policy decisions after 2015. We can expect agriculture, food and nutrition security to be at the heart of this exercise. The year 2015 is the European Year for Development and also the year in which the EU will feature at the Milan Expo on the theme of ‘Feeding the planet, energy for life’.