Briefings

We urge AGRI Members to support alternative Compromise Amendment (CA) 10 on Annex III, containing the conditionality rules – and to firmly reject the rapporteur’s CA. The rapporteur’s CA on Annex III weakens conditionality; e.g. in GAEC 9 it removes the obligation to devote a minimum share of agricultural area to so-called ‘non-productive features’. We consider that non-productive features are crucial for reversing biodiversity loss and can, under certain conditions, improve a farmer’s yields, for instance when providing fodder for pollinators.

Against the backdrop of several shortcomings in the implementation and application of the WFD, PAN Europe and PAN Germany urge Member States as well as the European Commission to put in place a more consistent approach to fulfil the legal requirements for the protection of our aquatic ecosystems. At this stage, there is no need to revise the WFD, but there is an urgent need to better implement its provisions. The collapse of biodiversity is taking place at a worrying pace and strong measures need to be taken to protect European waters.

Monitoring EU SUD compliance in Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands:

PAN’s suggestions for better future auditing and implementation

In 2017, the European Commission, the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, and Directorate F for Health and Food Audit Analyses (HFAA), undertook six fact-finding missions to evaluate the implementation of the EU Directive on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides (SUD).

PAN Europe's position on the proposal for a New Delivery Model for the CAP after 2020

This position paper responds to the legislative proposals on the CAP strategic plans released by the European Commission on 1st June 2018, with a focus on pesticide use, while also proposing fundamental improvements in the CAP to encourage the much-needed agro-ecological transition. 

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Background: The ‘Community Strategy for Endocrine Disruptors (EDs)” adopted in 1999 was set up to be in line with the precautionary principle, which aims at ensuring a higher level of environmental protection through preventative decision-taking in the case of risk. The strategy’s aim was to identify potential hazardous ED substances, to promote research to address the regulatory needs and to update EU legislation with tools to protect people, animals and the environment from the potential harm caused by EDs. Despite these political actions, today, in 2018, EDs are still not regulated properly. 

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Commission and EFSA propose to bury the topic of mixture toxicity of pesticide residues in food

-Industry infiltration in EFSA’s working groups caused 13 years of delay!

-Chosen assessment with (industry promoted) computer modelling unrealistic

-Proposed management decisions by Commission in today’s ScoFCAH will lead to ‘desired’ outcome

-Commercial interests prevail over health of EU citizens

BRIEFING: Commission’s transparency practice at an all-time low

1. Fully censored information in 67 relevant documents on endocrine disruption
2. Commission entirely disrespects Luxembourg court verdict
3. Commission misleads the public on the legal basis for refusal
4. What to expect from new Commission transparency proposal?

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Amending first paragraph points 3.6.5 and 3.8.2 of Annex II from negligible exposure to negligible risk.

Highlights:

• Increases permitted pesticide residues in food by hundreds even thousand times
• Assumes “safe” levels of exposure to EDCs exist, which is scientifically unfound
• Assumes that we have adequate testing to identify all ED-effects, which we don’t
• Drastically changes the effectiveness of the scientific criteria on EDCs to protect human and environmental health from exposure to EDCs.
• It is done undemocratically as it will not be done in co-decision with the Parliament
• It contradicts the provisions of the regulation 1107/2009 which is based on the precautionary principle and aims to provide a high level of protection for humans, animals and the environment
• ED pesticides will be used in open fields and end up as residue in our food, putting humans, animal and the environment at unknown risk