The European Parliament rejected the proposal for pesticides reduction in Europe

By voting on 22.11, the European Parliament rejected the Commission's proposal for a Law on the Sustainable Use of Plant Protection Products (SUR), which aimed to significantly reduce the use of pesticides in Europe. The proposal was urgent and essential to ensure a minimum of protection of EU citizens and ecosystems from the toxicity of pesticides. The lack of support represents a severe attack on the Green Deal and the stated commitments under the Farm to Fork strategy.

The SUR proposal included measures to reduce all pesticides and most hazardous pesticides by 50% by 2030, binding rules for the implementation of Integrated Pest Management and measures to protect sensitive areas, such as public areas, nature reserves and water resources. Scientists from across Europe state that tackling the biodiversity collapse is urgent, and a prerequisite to preserve ecosystems and their functions, including food production, for current and future generations.

It is essential for small and medium-sized farmers who need healthy soils, clean water, pollination and natural pest control. By poisoning the soil and water and killing the bees with pesticides, the agro-industry accumulates profits at the expense of the health of European citizens and their need for clean and quality food.

“This is a historical black day for EU citizens and ecosystems, for the Green Deal and for the EU project overall”, says Kristine De Schamphelaere, Policy Officer at PAN Europe, “The rejection of the proposal shows a shocking disregard for science, the public interest and the will of EU citizens. Most votes were guided by vested interests and disinformation by the agro-chemical industry.”

The conservative and liberal parties succeeded in obstructing the work on a vital piece of legislation. Since the publication of the Green Deal and the SUR proposal, many MEPs have tried to destroy the proposal or deprive it of any substance under the influence of a lobbying campaign by agribusiness, instead of taking into account the demands of over 1 million European citizens.