The implementation of the European Green Deal will be at the heart of the informal meeting of the EU27 Environment Ministers, held in Amiens on Thursday 20 and Friday 21 January, with the EU’s contribution to the fight against global deforestation and the sustainability of chemicals in the spotlight.
Restoring biodiversity, sustainable products and reducing chemical pollution for a healthier environment are indeed among the environmental priorities of the French Presidency of the EU Council (see EUROPE 12860/4).
“I intend to move the Green Deal forward”, said French Minister for Ecological Transition Barbara Pompili ahead of the meeting which she will chair.
Fight against pesticides. On Thursday, the ministers will begin their work with a session dedicated to the European harmonisation of plant protection products in the context of the agroecological transition. The Farm to Fork Strategy (F2F) and the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, both of which aim to halve the use of pesticides, will be discussed.
Over lunch, the ministers will exchange views on the EU strategy for sustainability in the chemicals sector. The discussion will enable the ministers “to identify the actions to be taken to effectively implement the chemical management framework for the protection of the environment and public health”, emphasised the French Presidency.
Combating imported deforestation. The second working session will be devoted to a discussion on the proposed EU regulation of November 2021, which aims to minimise the risk of deforestation and forest degradation associated with products placed on the EU market, by imposing a due diligence obligation on operators and traders throughout the supply chain (see EUROPE 12834/1).
The discussion will focus on good practices, the products and ecosystems to prioritise and on cooperation with third countries, “so that European action against imported deforestation is as effective as possible”, said the French Presidency of the EU Council.
On Friday, the environment ministers will visit a company that produces insect proteins, which may represent an alternative to soy proteins for livestock. They will then discuss the role of forests and wood in environmental, energy and climate policies with their energy colleagues, who will have joined them. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)