The European group representing farmers and agri cooperatives, Copa Cogeca, has described the European Commission’s approach to the proposed Nature Restoration Law as “divisive, punitive and ideological”.
The comments follow the passing of a revised version of the legislation by MEPs at the European Parliament today (Wednesday, July 12).
In June 2022, a Nature Restoration Law to increase biodiversity in areas including managed forests and agricultural land was proposed by the European Commission.
The proposal has an aim of restoring 20% of EU land and sea by 2030, and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050. It also includes binding restoration targets for specific habitats and species.
Yesterday (Tuesday, July 11), Copa Cogeca organised a protest in Strasbourg, France, involving 300 people and 50 tractors from 20 different European countries to declare that farmers are willing to support nature restoration, but not in the way it was being presented by the commission.
Today, Copa Cogeca has said: “Despite improvements on the agricultural side of the proposal, this law remains fundamentally ill-prepared, lacks a budget, and will remain unimplementable for farmers and forest owners.
“The plenary vote in the European Parliament was a key stage in the process of amending this law. After three unsuccessful attempts in committees, MEPs finally decided to go along with the council’s general approach.
“A vote that is rare enough to be worth noting, and which already shows the extent to which the European Commission’s approach has been divisive, punitive, and ideological.
“If there has been a failure present today, on a text that should have been or could have been a compromise, it is that of the commission,” Copa Cogeca stated.
The group said that “little can be expected or hoped for” out of the upcoming trilogue on the legislation.
Copa Cogeca claims that fundamental problems with this proposal remain, such as its lack of clear funding and feasibility.
“There will be no winners with this initiative, but many losers in our rural areas, starting with the smallest and most fragile economic structure,” Copa Cogeca stated.
“That’s why all Copa and Cogeca member organisations will remain vigilant around the negotiations in trilogue over the upcoming months, making sure that subsidiarity is respected.”