29/11/2022

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?

IFOAM Organics Europe invites you to an online press conference on 6 December 2022 at 10:00 CET where scientists, farmers and the European Citizens’ Initiative “Save Bees and Farmers” will explain the urgency and explosiveness around the EU pesticide reduction.

Join us online to hear from:

  • 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 will receive individual information on single EU countries in breakout rooms. The language of the press conference will be English. The breakout rooms will be held in the respective national languages.

We look forward to seeing you there and ask you to register here! Thank you very much!

GIF calling for support to revise the EU pesticide regulation

 
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