An Irish MEP has slammed a decision to withdraw “a landmark law” to reduce pesticide use across the European Union as “an act of insanity”.
The president of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen announced today (Tuesday, February 6) that 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.
The proposal came under intense scrutiny from the agricultural sector and some MEPs which eventually led a rejection of the law in the European Parliament.
Von der Leyen noted that the proposal had become a “symbol of polarisation”, but added that the issue of pesticide use remains on the EU agenda and a new proposal with “much more matured content” may be tabled in future.
Pesticide law
Ireland South Green Party MEP Grace O’Sullivan said the decision is “bitter blow for biodiversity and human health and a big win for agrochemical lobby”.
“It is an act of insanity during the largest collapse of biodiversity in history to row back on this legislation.
“In Ireland, our biggest loss of wildlife is in insects and organisms that form the base of our food chain.
“They are the most susceptible to pesticide use and without them entire populations of wildlife collapse as well as soil quality, water quality, and eventually food production for humans,” she said.
O’Sullivan said that the commission will now have to wait until the EU elections in June are concluded before proposing any new legislation.
“What’s even more tragic is that MEPs and member states came together even to protect the practice of spraying pesticides in places like national parks, schoolyards and vulnerable rivers.
“We are rowing back on our promise to leave a better world behind for our children.
“It is now in Ireland’s interest to plough ahead with our own tight regulations of pesticides in these places, in the absence of EU action,” the MEP added.