Following the heated discussions and v otes on the Fit for 55 proposals in the European Parliament in Strasbourg over the past days, Copa and Cogeca take note of the outcome of the votes, in particular on LULUCF , CBAM and CO2 emission standards for cars and vans.
We believe that EU agriculture can be integrated into a united and strong Europe that puts sustainable growth back at the centre of its concerns. We want to produce food for all, make transitions a success, and provide solutions in the fight against climate change.
In yesterday’s Plenary, the European Parliament, for certain proposals, liv ed up to its responsibility of shaping initiatives by being more mindful of the need to achieve a balance between economic, environmental, and social dimensions, recognising that farmers are the first to suffer the consequences of climate change. For others more changes are still needed.
In particular, with regards to the outcome of the LULUCF vote, it was adopted with the already ambitious overall target proposed by the European Commission of 310 MT and no additional targets and sub-targets for the agricultural sector. The European Parliament understood Copa and Cogeca’s view that carbon farming is a crucial tool in our fight against climate change whilst recognising its premature nature at the moment and thus the need for a proper transition. From Copa and Cogeca’s perspective, it must be transparent, fairly remunerated and market-based.
“EU farmers are already engaged in projects on the ground to achieve greater sustainability, through green and resilience transitions and we stand ready to do more. The Fit for 55 package is an opportunity to bring about a fair cross-sector approach in the EU climate and agricultural policy. This can only be achieved if the pace of change is adequate, ambitious, but not overly disruptive for the farming community. We must ensure that we strike the right balance between the economic, environmental, and social dimensions so that none of our farmers feel left behind.” reiterated Copa President, Christine Lambert on the occasion of the vote.
As stated in Copa and Cogeca’s position on Fit for 55, EU farmers and agri-cooperatives are committed to contributing to the EU’s ambition of climate neutrality by 2050, by reducing their emissions, producing biofuels, bioenergy, and bio-based materials for other industries, and by increasing/maintaining the carbon sink that agriculture and forestry can represent by optimising CO2 absorption of ecosystems while replacing fossil fuels. This while, above all, the production of food remains a central factor, as per Article 2(b) of the Paris Agreement.
W22ith regards to CBAM, Copa and Cogeca has reiterated its position many times since the launch of this debate. The inclusion of fertilisers will create new market distortions for downstream sectors, such as agriculture, since they are not covered. This inclusion will make the price further skyrocket, increasing the cost of agricultural production in Europe, whilst making the use of imported food more competitive and attractive.
Considering this, Cogeca President, Ramon Armengol reacted to the decision of the plenary, “This double penalty for farmers would be unbearable, considering the current and foreseeably increasing price of fertilisers, that are already at a historic high, with the cumulative effects resulting from the COVID crisis and the war in Uk raine. The ENVI Committee should revise the current text of the report and increase the phase-in period for CBAM and extend the period, in which free allowances are provided under the ETS system. This is crucial for a functioning decarbonisation of the CBAM sectors, especially the fertiliser sector.”
Copa and Cogeca believe that the European Parliament should ask the Commission to take measures on other policy areas to limit the impact on EU agriculture, while studying the feasibility to include agriculture in the CBAM or to develop another adequate instrument to prevent carbon leakage in agriculture.
Finally, as regards CO2 emission standards for cars and vans, we regret that the European Parliament voted for the ban of internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035. No powertrain technology is ‘zero-emission’ even for electric mobility and all technologies should be able to contribute to road transport decarbonisation.
Copa and Cogeca look forward to further engaging with all institutions to make the Fit for 55 package achievable for the European farmers and agri-cooperatives on the ground.
Artigo publicado originalmente em Copa Cogeca.
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