The European Commission has finally presented its long-awaited Environment Omnibus. Unfortunately, it falls short. Despite its own Vision for Agriculture and Food, which recognises the urgent need for real, cross-cutting simplification beyond the CAP, the Commission has again chosen minimal ambition and cosmetic changes, at least for now.
For months, Copa and Cogeca have proposed concrete, targeted amendments to modernise regulations that currently block permitting, innovation and circularity on farms. We have called for an ambitious Environment Omnibus capable of delivering real changes on the ground: better regulation and unblocking sustainable investments.
To be up to the task, ambitious targeted amendments should have been proposed today to the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED), Nitrates, Habitats and Water Framework Directives and the Nature Restoration Law (NRL) which should have been reopened; all without altering the core objectives of these legislations.
We welcome that the Commission offers reporting simplification for the Industrial Emissions Portal, and the recognition that organic poultry farms already face a heavy administrative burden by excluding them from the scope of the IED. While the Commission has taken better account of practical farm realities for the livestock sectors it falls short on guarantees of improvement in future simplification actions as for key legislative pieces such as the Nitrates Directive or the NRL. Farmers, forest owners, and agri-cooperatives are left waiting yet again for better regulation, legal certainty and the practical simplification they urgently need to operate and invest with confidence.
On 18 December, we expect 10,000 farmers in Brussels to deliver a clear, united message which among other key requests asks Europe to finally act on real simplification, better regulation and legal certainty. We hope to be listened to and that the EU Institutions will deliver on this key request!
We will now work with Member States and the European Parliament to secure genuine improvements for our farming community in this Environment Omnibus.
The expectations of the farming community are the highest, the Omnibus process needs to continue further.
Fonte: Copa Cogeca
