The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen announced on Tuesday at a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg that she will withdraw the proposal for the regulation on the sustainable use of pesticides (SUR), which has faced fierce criticism, and will present a new,’more mature’ proposal, which should reduce farmers’ dissatisfaction.
The Commission proposed new rules for the sustainable use of plant protection products in June 2022, which include the regulation on the sustainable use of pesticides (SUR). The regulation proposed a 50 percent reduction in pesticide use by 2030. The proposal is part of the ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy, which aims to redirect the existing EU food system towards a sustainable model and contribute to achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
Members of Parliament have long worked on forming their position based on which they would negotiate with the Council on the final text of the law. Numerous amendments were adopted, including a reduction of the target from the Commission’s proposal, changing the pesticide use reduction from 50 percent to 35 percent. Ultimately, the members rejected the proposal for a common position in November 2023.
The EU Council also failed to agree on a common position on this matter.
– The Commission proposed the SUR with a valuable goal of reducing the risks of chemical plant protection products, but this proposal has become a symbol of polarization. It was rejected by the European Parliament, and there is a complete deadlock in the Council, and therefore I will propose to the college to withdraw this proposal – said von der Leyen during the discussion at the plenary session of the European Parliament.
