A group of 16 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have written to president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen to withdraw the recent proposal to revise the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
After months of farmer-led protests across Europe, the European Commission announced simplifications for the policy to “reduce the burden related to controls for EU farmers”.
The 16 NGOs, including: Agroecology Europe; Pesticide Action Network Europe; Green Peace; and the European Environmental Bureau have also called for the “maintenance of a democratic process”.
In the letter, also sent to EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Janusz Wojciechowski, the NGOs stated that the decision “disregards established democratic principles”.
Letter
It stated that the commission sent a letter to Belgian presidency, without public consultation.
The letter also called on the commission to abide by union law and better regulations guidelines to “guarantee transparency”.
It stated that when adopting CAP regulations, a broad range of stakeholders were asked to contribute to a public consultation, with the view to provide supporting evidence for an impact assessment.
“This is to ensure that all decisions likely to affect farmers, the environment and human health are taken in full consideration of the interests of society as a whole,” the letter states.
“With this legislative proposal, the European Commission has given in to the fake narrative that opposes the environment to agriculture, when evidence shows that they depend on each other.
“The measures proposed will only undermine the very jobs that the CAP is meant to support in the long-term,” it added.
Simplifying CAP
The commission explained that it did not conduct an impact assessment because of “the political urgency” and “crisis situation”.
Climate groups have described the proposals as “backtracking” in their letter.
The letter states that the EU Commission did not ensure “stability” in line with the EU Green Deal.
“The intensification of agricultural practices such as the increase of inputs and the reduction of natural habitats is the first cause of biodiversity loss.
“Removing the CAP requirements supposed to tackle the causes of such decline would only further aggravate the situation, and disregards the fact that farming and biodiversity rely on each other,” the letter states.
“By prioritising electoral considerations, the Commission broke with years of progress made on the EU Green Deal and the exercise of citizens’ democratic rights,” it added.