Europe’s largest political party has joined a growing backlash against Brussels’ plan to reverse damage to the environment, arguing it threatens food production and farmers’ livelihoods.
The European People’s party, which has the most seats in the European parliament and is in power in nine countries across the EU, will call on Friday to scrap two flagship pieces of legislation put forward by their own European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen. The move could torpedo the commission’s plans to cut pesticide use in half and rewild a fifth of damaged habitats across the bloc by 2030.
EPP delegates are expected to support a resolution at their two-day political assembly in Munich, which starts on Thursday. “We reject the proposal on?.?.?.?pesticides as the reduction targets chosen are simply not feasible and the proposal does not offer farmers viable alternatives,” said the resolution seen by the Financial Times.