With 417 votes in favor, 162 against, and 25 abstentions, the European Parliament supported this national flexibility. The relaxation of the rules is part of a broader package of relaxations to the Green Deal obligations, which will be voted on Wednesday (24/4) in Strasbourg.
In the past months, Europe was shaken by farmers' protests specifically against environmental restrictions in agricultural policy and against the EU in general. Fearing electoral gains by far-right parties in the European elections in June, Brussels has now decided to partially meet the demands of the protesting farmers.
Environmental groups say this is a political tactic that undermines the Green Deal itself. The currently proposed relaxation in agricultural policy follows the recent blocking of the proposal to restrict the use of chemicals in agriculture, the extension of use of the criticized glyphosate, and the minimization of proposals for nature restoration and soil protection.
The Greens and United Left have announced they will vote against the "push-through" of these agricultural rules in Strasbourg. Critics say the legislative changes are being enforced under additional pressure from Agriculture Ministers, without proper substantive discussion in parliamentary committees, without trilogue consultation, and without any impact assessment.
According to the Greens, this violates EU rules for (changes to) policy plans. According to advice from the Parliament's Legal Service, a possible violation of the EU Climate Law cannot be ruled out. Their two lead candidates for the upcoming European elections, Terry Reintke and Bas Eickhout, have stated that the Greens will make the environmental and climate rules of the Green Deal a focal point of their election campaign.