The Netherlands has always been a supporter of the pesticide proposal by former Green Deal Commissioner Frans Timmermans. The so-called SUR pesticide proposal was one of the major Green Deal initiatives he submitted together with Food Commissioner Stella Kyriakides and Environment Commissioner Virginius Sinkevicius.
European agricultural umbrella organizations have protested against the proposal from the very beginning, along with the Nature Restoration Law, the tightened Soil Directive, Farm to Fork for more biodiversity, and other environmental and climate regulations in agriculture.
In recent weeks, EU farmers have organized large demonstrations, not only against national tax issues but also against European environmental rules in their sector. They have also protested against the relaxed export rules for Ukraine. All this criticism will be addressed in Brussels meeting rooms over the coming week and the next.
After Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had previously put the contested measures 'on hold' with her new ‘strategic dialogue’, last week she announced the withdrawal of the already stalled pesticide proposal. This was also seen in agricultural circles as a concession to the criticism.
Contrary to many European farmers' complaints, news agency Euronews concluded that most Green Deal proposals have so far resulted in little. This contradicts what Timmermans said late last year when leaving Brussels (to return to Dutch politics), stating that the major framework for almost all Green Deal proposals was ready.
According to Euronews’ analysis, there were initially 28 different proposals (later split into 31), of which, two years later, less than half have legal texts drafted, and most have not yet reached the trilogue agreement stage between competent ministers and the European Parliament.
According to Dutch Agriculture Minister Piet Adema, the SUR proposal would have contributed to the agricultural transition towards more sustainable farming and significantly reducing the use of chemical-synthetic pesticides. Its withdrawal means “that an important legal incentive for the Netherlands and other member states to reduce pesticide use at the European level is now lost.”
In this respect, the Netherlands seems to anticipate the (upcoming) European update of the Water Framework Directive and the tightening of the Nitrates Directive against pollution of drinking and soil water. Due to not reducing water pollution, Germany and the Netherlands have since lost their manure derogation, with Ireland to follow later this year. The manure surplus in an increasing number of (dairy) countries is becoming a growing problem.
In a letter to the Dutch parliament, Minister Adema also points to the need to speed up EU approval of environmentally friendly ‘green’ pesticides. The Dutch government also repeats its earlier proposals to allow so-called Renure substances (derived from processed animal manure). This issue has now even been personally raised by outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte with Commission President Von der Leyen. In short: this too is becoming 'top priority' …..