European politicians and agricultural organizations react cautiously to the European Commission's proposals to halve the use of chemical agents in agriculture and food supply. For the first time in 20 years, a binding nature restoration law will also be introduced to counteract the decline of 'green spaces'.
Chairman Norbert Lins (EPP) of the Agriculture Committee regrets that Commissioners Frans Timmermans, Virginijus SinkeviÄŤius, and Stella Kyriakides ignored the request of ten EU countries to postpone their farm-to-fork rules for a while longer.
The Christian Democrats in the European Parliament also believe that more clarity must first be provided about the possible consequences of the Green Deal climate plans.
Lins fears that the measures will lead to less food being produced. The German Farmers' Association has issued a similar statement. The European Commission responded that numerous studies show that farmers can reduce pesticides and save money without endangering crop yields.
Climate Commissioner Frans Timmermans said that some use the war as an excuse to criticize the project. Green MEP Bas Eickhout expressed a similar sentiment: “A large, very successful lobby has emerged that uses the war in Ukraine to set environmental rules aside to ramp up food production. We must build a resilient European agricultural sector that works not against, but with nature.
The European agricultural umbrella organization Copa-Cogeca criticized the fact that the European rules are not set down in a legally binding directive for each EU country. Instead, an EU-level 'target figure' will be established which individual countries will then incorporate into binding national plans together with their agricultural sectors.
According to Copa-Cogeca, the outcome remains highly uncertain in a few years. Furthermore, the umbrella organization thinks that too little money is allocated. There is concern that this will come at the expense of current budgets for the common agricultural policy.
Dutch MEP Anja Hazekamp (Party for the Animals) called it positive “that the EU has finally set targets to reduce pesticide use.” According to her, the question remains whether the rules will guarantee that national reduction targets lead to less use of poisons.
The Party for the Animals is positive about the proposed total ban on poison use in nature reserves and urban areas, such as schoolyards and parks. “It is irresponsible to spray agricultural chemicals in areas where many people are present. That should not be tolerated. A total ban will help ensure that people and animals are less exposed to dangerous substances,” Hazekamp said.
“This is not the right moment for legislative proposals on pesticide reduction and nature restoration,” said Annie Schreijer-Pierik, spokesperson in the Agriculture Committee of the European Parliament for the CDA (EPP Group). “Because we are in the midst of the worst food crisis of our century, the European Commission should not introduce new legislation that could significantly reduce food production in Europe,” she reacted to the Commission's proposals.
“Since the 'farm to fork' strategy, our Christian Democratic EPP Group has continuously called for a thorough impact assessment. So far, we have not seen one,” she reiterated earlier appeals.