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MEPs reject text on reducing pesticide use

The European Parliament on Wednesday rejected legislation aimed at halving the EU’s use of pesticides by 2030, forcing the European Commission to introduce a new version of the text in an unlikely scenario months before elections in June 2024.

This text, criticized by the EPP (right), which adopted amendments aimed at significantly weakening it, was rejected by 299 votes (207 in favour, 121 abstentions) in the plenary session of MEPs, who also refused any appeal to the parliamentary committee .

A key element of the EU Green Deal, this legislation, proposed in June 2022 by the European Commission, planned to halve EU-wide use and risks of crop protection chemicals by 2030 compared to the period 2015-2017.

European MPs also refused to make any appeal to the parliamentary environment committee, effectively ending the future of this text, which also deeply divided member states. The text’s speaker, environmentalist Sarah Wiener, said it was a “dark day” for the environment and farmers.

Various reactions

Parliament “rejected this mutilated law (with EPP amendments), the Conservatives are putting farmers’ health and biodiversity at risk by fighting at all costs against reducing the use of pesticides,” added German Green MEP Jutta Paulus.

The PPE group vehemently opposed the text in unison with the organization of most agricultural unions (Copa-Cogeca) and states hostile to the text, amid growing resistance to EU environmental regulations, which they say are too restrictive and likely to become too restrictive. to reduce yield.

“Today is a good day for farmers and for everyone who believes that the EU should refrain from imposing new burdens on them,” said German MEP Peter Liese. “The Commission’s shaky proposal has been met with disdain; it is time to stop playing the role of the sorcerer’s apprentice when it comes to environmental policy and take into account the realities of farmers on the ground,” adds French MP Anne Sander.

Most agricultural organizations welcomed the vote: “Finally! The European Parliament recognizes that regulation pesticides was a poorly researched, unrealistic, unfinanced, but purely ideological text,” CEO Christiane Lambert praised it.


Source: Le Parisien

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