Greens/EFA call on Council and the EPP to stop delaying the SUR

Today, the Commission published additional data complementing the impact assessment of the Sustainable Use of Plant Protection Products Regulation (SUR), that was requested by the Council. The report shows that the proposed regulation will not have a significant negative impact on food security. The additional impact assessment has delayed its entry into force and threatens European health and the environment.

Sarah Wiener, Greens/EFA MEP and European Parliament rapporteur on the Sustainable Use of Plant Protection Products Regulation in the Committee for Environment and Public Health, comments:

“The additional data presented by the Commission today show what we already knew: Reducing the use of chemical pesticides will not threaten our food production. Instead it is necessary to implement sustainable pest management practices to protect human health, ecosystems, biodiversity and the health of our soils. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) must finally be widely adopted and applied across the EU, as it offers a full toolbox of options that can be exhausted before resorting to chemical pesticides. Agro-ecological and organic alternatives reduce farmers' dependence on large pesticide companies and provide sustainable yields in biodiverse ecosystems.

“Now that the Commission has provided the requested data, there is no longer any reason for some Member States and the EPP to block progress on the Sustainable Use of Plant Protection Products Regulation. The Greens/EFA Group call on the new Spanish Council Presidency and Ursula von der Leyen’s Commission to ensure that this important Regulation is finalised in the current mandate/before the European elections in 2024.“

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In December, the Council asked the Commission for additional data to complement the SUR impact assessment. This was viewed by many, including the Greens/EFA Group, as an attempt by the Council to stall the legislative process.

The European Parliament is expected to vote on its position on the SUR in October. Once the Council has adopted a position, trilogue negotiations can start.