Parliament to have final say on key nature bill in July

Today, Members of the Environment Committee (ENVI) have just voted on the Nature Restoration Law. The Law will now go to the European Parliament Plenary session in July. Two weeks ago, the ENVI committee was unable to complete its vote on the Nature Restoration Law due to lack of time, but finalised the vote today. There was no majority in favour of rejecting the law, despite the efforts of the EPP Group to attack nature and the Green Deal. The compromise did not get a majority.

Bas Eickhout MEP, Greens/EFA Vice Chair of the Environment Committee, comments: 

“Now we must  turn our full attention to the defining vote in July. Nature is key to fighting the effects of climate change. All MEPs who want to support food security, the environment, as well as drought, fire and flood prevention must support the restoration of nature. The EPP is willing to risk our collective future for the sake of a cheap electoral campaign against the Green Deal aimed at pandering to the far-right. 

"Despite the unprecedented and aggressive campaign by the EPP Group, many EPP leaders still voted in favour of the law in Council. This gives hope for a majority for the vote in July, as every MEP can vote. Unlike at committee level, the EPP leadership cannot pull supporters of the law off the benches and replace them with MEPs who want to kill the bill. 

"This law is crucial to improve nature in Europe, which is in deplorable condition, in the coming years. Businesses, citizens and scientists all say this is necessary, but governments fail to do it. After voluntary agreements, we cannot escape hard action."  

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Last week, EU Member States already took their positions on the Nature Restoration Act, a watered-down version of the bill proposed by the European Commission last year. The full parliament will now vote on the law in July.