Get updates with the Agriculture myFT Digest — Sign up for free.Brussels is set to abandon a plan to reduce pesticide use by half, giving in to protesting farmers and dealing another blow to its environmental goals. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, is scaling back her green agenda to appease farmers, a crucial voting block for her party ahead of the upcoming EU elections. The retreat signifies a departure from her original eco-friendly promises made to secure her presidency in 2019. High energy prices and inflation spurred by Russia’s war have further complicated her position as she seeks a second term as the head of the EU’s executive.
The commission had proposed the cut in pesticide use with the aim to lower the risks of chemical plant protection products, von der Leyen explained in a speech to the European parliament. However, she acknowledged that the initiative had become a symbol of division and announced plans to withdraw the proposal after it was blocked by member states and MEPs. Shares in Bayer, the EU’s biggest pesticide producer, rose 2 percent following the news.
This is the latest in a series of concessions made by the EU in response to widespread farmer protests. Specific guidance for agricultural emissions in its recommendation for a 2040 climate target has also been discarded. Demonstrations by agricultural groups have disrupted several EU member states, leading to the relaxing of environmental rules by the commission, such as animal welfare regulations and land cultivation practices.
Von der Leyen’s decision came after pressure from members of her conservative political group, the European People’s Party (EPP). The EPP, the largest grouping in the European parliament, is concerned that the farming community will shift their support to far-right parties in the upcoming elections.
Manfred Weber, EPP group chair, stressed the need to take farmers seriously in response to von der Leyen’s announcement. Furthermore, a law to restore degraded nature has had most rules affecting agricultural land removed by centre-right MEPs. The stalled pesticide proposal was criticized for lacking alternative products and causing environmental damage and potential harm to humans.
Laurence Tubiana, chief executive of the European Climate Foundation, highlighted the need for significant investments across different sectors to meet the EU’s climate goals, countering claims that the bloc’s climate laws are anti-farming. Julia Bognar, head of land use and climate at the Institute for European Environmental Policy, emphasized the necessity for a just transition plan to help the sector meet climate objectives and secure long-term food security.
