The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen has said she will propose the withdrawal of the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Regulation (SUR).
The regulation, which was proposed by the commission in June 2022, aims to reduce the use of chemical pesticides across Europe by 50% by 2030.
Speaking at a Plenary session of the European Parliament today (Tuesday, February 6), von der Leyen said she will propose to the College of Commissioners to withdraw this proposal.
The proposed SUR has become of “symbol of polarisation”, von der Leyen said and added that the proposal was rejected by the parliament and there is no progress in the EU Council.
However, von der Leyen said the “topic stays” and the commission could make a new proposal with “much more matured content” and with the stakeholders together.
EU farmers
Von der Leyen said that while the European Council was in session last week, farmers from across Europe were taking to the streets. She added that many of them feel “pushed into a corner”.
“It is true. Issues have escalated in recent years. Our farmers deserve to be listened to. I know that they are worried about the future of agriculture and about their future as farmers.
“But they also know that agriculture needs to move to a more sustainable model of production, so that their farms remain profitable in the years to come.
“And we want to make sure that in this process, the farmers remain in the driving seat. This is why we launched the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of Agriculture in the European Union,” she said.
During her speech, von der Leyen said “there is a lot at stake for all of us” and that “Europe has the healthiest and highest-quality food in the world, thanks to our farmers”.
Farmers “must be paid fairly”, the commission president said and added that the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is supported “massively” by the EU budget.
While money is important, she said that healthy natural resources are also key to maintaining high yields. Fertile soils have always been the “backbone” of farmers’ livelihoods, she added.
“Farmers need a worthwhile business case for nature-enhancing measures – perhaps we have not made that case convincingly. A real incentive that goes beyond mere loss of yield is required.
“Public subsidies can provide those incentives and for example premium labelling in cooperation with retailers and processors,” the commission president said.
“Only if our farmers can live off their land, will they invest in the future. And only if we achieve our climate and environmental goals together, will farmers be able to continue to make a living,” she said.
EU pesticides proposal
The Pesticides Action Network (PAN Europe) said the proposed withdrawal of the SUR “fails farmers” by further delaying “urgently needed” transition and “fails” current and future generations.
In response to von der Leyen’s comments, PAN Europe executive director and representative of the Save Bees and Farmers European Citizens Initiative, Martin Dermine said:
“The European Commission just took a decision that is harmful to farmers and their families as the first victims of pesticide use. Pesticide pollution is a huge problem that has to be tackled.
“It pollutes our waters, harms our health and destroys the biodiversity that we depend on. It destroys fertile soil and endangers food production in the long run.”
PAN Europe claims that member states have been “favouring agri-business interests” and that the proposed withdrawal of the SUR gives a “negative” signal to citizens ahead of the EU elections.