Adema praised the tone of her annual speech and referred to the recent Dutch (stalled) agricultural consultations ‘to keep the conversation going; away from polarization.’ German Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir expressed similar views on Monday at the monthly Agricultural Council.
Both ministers criticized that some European agricultural proposals risk being postponed due to the newly announced ‘dialogue by Ursula.’ Adema and Özdemir emphasized that European farmers need a level playing field, which calls for new European legislation in many areas.
Both agree that the European Commission should at least process the announced new animal welfare legislation.
The Green German minister further stated that over the past years, the European Commission should have listened earlier and better to criticism regarding climate and environmental laws. According to him, this stubborn attitude from the start has caused serious flaws in the SUR legislative proposal aimed at halving dangerous chemicals. Özdemir publicly expressed his dissatisfaction without naming any Commissioners.
The German minister pointed out that the still unresolved pesticide proposal will be disastrous for many fruit growers and grape cultivation for the wine industry. Moreover, the Commissioners have yet to deliver previously promised improvements. Announcing and doing—that anyone can do, but actual implementation is what counts, he grumbled.
It remains unclear how countries that already began significantly reducing dangerous substances will be 'rewarded.' This is a point the Netherlands has insisted on all along. Environment Commissioner Sinkevicius has also yet to clarify what he means by ‘vulnerable ecological areas,’ while his Agriculture counterpart Janusz Wojciechowski has long stated ‘that this is off the table.’
The Green German minister fears the entire SUR proposal might collapse due to these disputes, as several Central European agricultural countries have been vehemently opposed from the outset, a few hesitated, and only a handful were true supporters (including Germany and the Netherlands).
Özdemir still believes that chemical use must be reduced and therefore announced an ‘interim proposal.’ Details are not yet known, but Özdemir stated ‘he will make use of the strategic dialogue announced by Commission President Von der Leyen.’ He pointed to positive results in Germany from the (now dissolved) ‘Zukunftskommission.’
Minister Adema also told reporters afterward that agriculture will still need ‘a bit’ of chemical agents for a long time, alongside new ‘green’ alternatives and new GMO techniques such as CRISPR-Cas.