The European Parliament delegation expressed regret on Wednesday 31 May at the Council’s failure to reach a compromise on the revision of organic farming rules (see EUROPE 11797).
At a press conference in Brussels, rapporteur Martin Häusling (Greens/EFA, Germany) called on the Council to return to the negotiating table, arguing that talks should not have to start again from scratch. He called for initiatives from the European Commission, which, he said, “has its hands on the levers of power”. Indeed, it is for the Commission to indicate whether it is withdrawing its proposal – something that, for the moment, seems unlikely.
On Tuesday 30 May, the Maltese Presidency of the Council wrote to the Parliament informing it of the cancellation of the last trialogue meeting on this issue, scheduled for the following day.
Häusling praised the components of the latest compromise text from the Maltese Presidency of the Council, despite its rejection by numerous delegations: common import rules, provisions on seeds, harmonisation of checks and compromises on the most sensitive issues, such as the presence of unauthorised substances (while awaiting a commission report and possible legislation on pesticide residues). But, for the rapporteur, the status quo wanted by the sector itself in some EU member countries (Ed: the Maltese Presidency acknowledged the pressure brought to bear by professional organisations to have the compromise text rejected) is no longer an option. “If we fail now, we’ll have to go on working for 19 or 20 years on the basis of an old regulation”, warned Häusling, and that, he said, would be in the interests neither of the sector nor of the consumer. “Everyone will be able to do whatever he wants and the differences will grow”, he warned.
Not serious or responsible. According to the Parliament, the last chance is the meeting on 12 June of the Agriculture Council. Éric Andrieu (S&D, France) who also attended the press conference, said he found it “rather surprising” that the negotiations were coming to a halt when progress had been made. He, too, wants the talks to resume, ideally under the Maltese Presidency or otherwise under the Estonian Presidency (which will begin at the start of July). Agreement has to be achieved no later than July, he suggested.
“It would be a pity if things collapsed without agreement being reached”, said Haüsling, acknowledging that there were a number of reasons for the countries of the EU not agreeing to the text that was on the table (pesticide thresholds, crop production under glass, databases and too much or not enough harmonisation). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)