EU Commission Must Take Stock After Latest Vote on Nature Restoration Law

IFA Environment Chair Paul O’Brien said the vote in the European Parliament’s Environment Committee today on the proposed Nature Restoration Law (NRL) should be a wake up call for the EU Commission.

The Committee failed to pass the proposed NRL and was deadlocked at 44-44 on the issue.

Speaking from Strasbourg, Paul O’Brien said the EU Commission has to take on board the widespread concerns raised before it moves ahead with any new legislation.

“The Commission has blundered on and refused to heed the warnings about what they were proposing to do. It’s been an example of how not to bring people with you,” he said.

Paul O’Brien has co-ordinated COPA’s campaign in recent months which pointed out the problems with the NRL.

“Farmers recognise the role they can play in supporting nature and are already carrying out measures to do this. However, the lack of clarity on the potential impact of the proposed regulation on farmland and production is very worrying,” he said.

“It is vital that a full impact assessment is undertaken to quantify the area of farmland that will be affected to ensure the proposed targets are realistic and fair and are not detrimental to food production,” he said.

See here for the measures farmers are undertaking.