Press conference: EU pesticide reduction under fierce attack
In June 2022, the EU Commission presented a legislative proposal on the “sustainable use of plant protection products” (SUR), which aims to halve the use and risk of pesticides by 2030 in a legally binding way to tackle the challenges of the looming biodiversity and climate crises.
This reform proposal, which has been warmly welcomed by scientists and environmentalists, is currently under fierce attack: according to a newspaper report, the demand for a “complementary impact assessment” made in September by ten member states (AT, BG, EE, HU, LV, MT, PL, RO, SI, SK) in a non-paper could now have the support of up to 19 member states. If this is true and the member states find a majority in the Council of Agriculture Ministers (AGRIFISH) on 12 and 13 December demanding further impact assessments by the Commission, this could postpone the adoption of this important legislative proposal on pesticide reduction by months or even “kill the file“.
What about biodiversity and what do pesticides have to do with it? Who are blocking pesticide reduction? What is at stake?
On 6 December 2022, IFOAM Organics Europe organised an online press conference where scientists, farmers and the European Citizens’ Initiative “Save Bees and Farmers” explained the urgency and explosiveness around the EU pesticide reduction.
You couldn’t join? You can now watch the recordings on our YouTube channel
Featured speakers:
- Prof. Dr. Josef Settele, Co-chair of the IPBES
- Jan Plagge, President of IFOAM Organics Europe
- Ramona Duminicioiu, Eco Ruralis, Romania
- Helmut Burtscher-Schaden, ECI “Save Bees and Farmers”, pesticides expert of GLOBAL 2000
After the panel discussion, journalists received individual information on single EU countries in breakout rooms.
Read the press release we sent after the conference.
Programme
introduction of the panel,
explanation of the procedure (breakout rooms)
Moderator
Selina Englmayer
Jan Plagge
President of IFOAM Organics Europe
Josef Settele, PhD
Co-Chair of IPBES Global Assessment & Head of Dept. of Conservation Biology and Social-Ecological Systems, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Halle, Germany
Ramona Duminicioiu
Asociatia Eco Ruralis (Romania)
Connection between SUD, ECI and SUR? Failure to implement the 2009 pesticide legislation. Which member states block, what are their arguments?
Helmut Burtscher-Schaden, PhD
(ECI “Save Bees and Farmers”; GLOBAL 2000 - Friends of the Earth Austria)
Jan Plagge
President of IFOAM Organics Europe
Moderator
Selina Englmayer
(Please note: during the breakout room sessions the four main panelists will still be available to journalists for questions)