The farmers’ movement has put the spotlight on the Green Deal, designed by the von der Leyen Commission to meet European climate commitments and green the economy. This ambitious legislation is accused of all evils.
However, it has not yet come into force. In addition, Brussels has cut back on its agricultural component. After an outcry from the right, the legislation on the protection of biodiversity was emptied of its substance. In November, the European Parliament rejected pesticide reduction targets. Finally, the European Commission has renounced texts on chemicals or animal welfare.
Let’s not miss the target
In short, the uneasiness of European peasants had already been heard. If it appears today on our roads, it is because of another system: the common agricultural policy (CAP). Farmers are struggling to digest its new rules, in force for less than a year, and which, according to them, weaken small farms. “Agriculture is not industry. To make standards profitable, you need large structures,” criticizes MEP LR Anne Sander, close to agricultural circles. In Brussels, many also denounce the French choice to go beyond European regulations, such as on glyphosate, which penalizes our farmers compared to their neighbors.
In short, let’s not miss the target. Four months before the elections, the anti-European parties, in ambush, are determined to exploit a complex crisis and to call into question climate legislation… while agriculture is one of the first victims of global warming.