On Monday 9 October, the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture adopted (26 votes in favour, 9 against, 3 abstentions) the opinion of Clara Aguilera (S&D, Spain) containing numerous amendments to the proposal on the sustainable use of pesticides, aimed at reducing the reduction targets for these products (see EUROPE 13258/5).
With regard to reduction targets, the opinion calls for a maximum EU-wide reduction of 50% in the use and risks of pesticides by 2035 (the European Commission is proposing a 50% reduction by 2030), as well as the deletion of the methodology for calculating national reduction targets and a revision clause that would allow targets to be readjusted according to the availability of plant protection products to farmers. At national level, EU countries should reduce pesticide use by a minimum of 35% and a maximum of 50%.
With regard to the reference period, the European Parliament Committee prefers to use the average for 2011 to 2013 rather than that for 2015 to 2017 to take better account of the efforts made by countries.
As far as sensitive areas are concerned, the amendments aim to restrict the use of pesticides there, whereas the Commission was counting on a total ban. Restrictions or bans on plant protection products in each zone will be established by the Member States. In these sensitive areas, they will be able to choose between low-risk products, all products authorised for organic farming and category 1 and 2 plant protection products, modulating their application according to the area and indicating this in the national action plan submitted to the European Commission.
On funding to help farmers reduce pesticide use, the Committee on Agriculture rejected by a large majority the use of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funds to finance the new obligations arising from this regulation. The current CAP already includes measures to reduce the use of plant protection products and to implement integrated pest management. “All the costs arising from this proposal will have to be financed specifically and in addition to the funds available under the CAP’s strategic plans, which have been in force since January 2023”, explains the rapporteur, Clara Aguilera.
All the compromise amendments between the groups were adopted, except 1b and 5, which were rejected (2,000 amendments were tabled in total).
The opinion represents “an acceptable compromise”, commented the EU’s agricultural organisations and cooperatives (Copa-Cogeca), who now want the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment, which is responsible for the substance, to take account of the opinion of the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture .
On 24 October, the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment will vote on the draft report by Sarah Wiener (Greens/EFA, Austrian) on the sustainable use of pesticides, with a view to a vote during the European Parliament plenary session at the end of November (see EUROPE 13187/5).
Link to the compromise amendments voted in the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture: https://aeur.eu/f/8yz (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)