The largest polticial grouping in the European Parliament, the EPP Group, has called on European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans to withdraw the nature restoration law proposal. This follows the rejection by the Fisheries Committee of the planned legislation, while the Agriculture Committee also voted against it.
‘Two parliamentary committees have now voted to reject the proposal for nature restoration. This is an exceptional step and shows that the Parliament is not ready to accept a proposal that only increases costs and insecurity for farmers, fishers and consumers. We support biodiversity, but this proposal is not fit for purpose and should be withdrawn following the decisive votes in two parliamentary committees,’ said Siegfried Mureşan MEP, Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group responsible for budget and structural policies.
If the legislation is no withdrawn, it will be voted on in June by the Environment Committee, which is the lead committee on the proposal.
‘The EPP Group in the Fisheries Committee voted for a rejection as we demand that the European Commission makes a better and more practical proposal. We want to protect and restore nature but we must actually work within reality so that the objectives are feasible and all stakeholders can achieve them,’ said Niclas Herbst MEP, who negotiated the law on behalf of the EPP Group in the Fisheries Committee.
‘There are currently up to 23 regulations related to nature restoration and more than 40 texts taking communications, strategies and regulations into account. One more additional text will bring no added value.’
He commented that the European Commission should have made other suggestions creating consistency with existing legislation.
‘We want to help Member States restore ecosystems while securing jobs, especially in sectors like the EU fishing sector that has proved to be strategic, ensuring food security in Europe during Brexit, the COVID pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The European fishing sector is more sustainable than the fishing sector in most third countries,’ Niclas Herbst stressed.
