Italian farmers praise ‘reverse’ pesticide removal

One of the leaders of the protests of Italian farmers, Danilo Calvani, welcomed the announcement by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to withdraw a proposal to reduce the use of pesticides in agriculture.

For the leader of the CRA Committed Farmers committee, “this is an important start” and “the first partially positive proposal” heard in some time.

Adding that Brussels agrees with the proposals put forward, Calvani, however, stressed that the protest must continue: “we want action and demand the end of all pacts with countries that are not part of the European Union and that are killing us.”

Italian Transport Minister Matteo Salvini welcomed Brussels’ decision, saying farmers had succeeded in forcing “Europe to retreat from the madness imposed by multinationals and the left.”

The European Commission president announced on Tuesday that she would withdraw a proposal aimed at halving the use of pesticides in agriculture by 2030, which is a central part of European environmental legislation and which is being withdrawn after protests from farmers.

“The European Commission has proposed DUS [Diretiva Utilização Sustentável dos Pesticidas] with the worthy goal of reducing the risks associated with crop protection chemicals, but the proposal has become a symbol of polarization [pois] it was rejected by the European Parliament, and there is also no progress in the Council, so I will propose to the panel to withdraw this proposal,” Ursula von der Leyen said at a plenary meeting of the European Parliament held in Strasbourg.

Ursula von der Leyen recalled that when the extraordinary European summit took place in Brussels last week, “farmers from all over Europe took to the streets.” “Many of them feel backed into a corner, [mas] Farmers are the first to feel the effects of climate change,” he also noted.

Last November, the European Parliament, with right-wing votes, rejected legislation aimed at halving the EU’s use of pesticides, which was opposed by European environmentalists.

The centerpiece of the European Green Deal, a legislative proposal proposed by the Commission in June 2022, aims to halve the use and risks of crop protection chemicals in the EU by 2030 (compared to the period 2015-2017).

Recognizing that “more dialogue and a different approach are needed,” the European Commission president defended “a new, much more mature proposal with the participation of stakeholders.”

“The next few months will be difficult, but I think we have a great opportunity now. It is clear to everyone in this House that our agri-food sector – starting with farms – needs a long-term perspective and a willingness to listen to each other and find common solutions, [pelo que] We must avoid the blame game and work together to find solutions to problems,” said Ursula von der Leyen.

The official also announced a report due in late summer, based on discussions on the agri-food sector, which will form the basis for the EU’s “future agricultural policy”.

In several EU countries, including Portugal, farmers staged protests, blocking roads to demand better conditions.

The European Commission will prepare a proposal to reduce the administrative burden on farmers, which will be discussed by the 27 member states on February 26.