SUR Archives - Agricultural and Rural Convention

Pesticides, Food Systems, GM-nOs, GHGs… what to watch in Brussels and Strasbourg this week

February 6, 2024 Natasha Foote

EU plans to slash the use and risk of pesticides have fallen on the back of farmers’ protests, which have dominated both headlines and the political agenda in recent days. Meanwhile there are plenty of other discussions cooking in Brussels which could have far reaching consequences for the future direction of the sector. Natasha Foote brings you a run down of the latest from Strasbourg and what you should watch this week. […]

ARC Lookahead – What’s on the EU agrifood policy menu in the coming months?

January 24, 2024 Natasha Foote

With the EU elections just around the corner, policy makers are scrambling to push the last of the agrifood files across the finish line before Brussels switches into election mode. This means the next few months could prove decisive for the future direction of the agrifood sector. Natasha Foote looks ahead. […]

EU Pesticide Plan Stumbles into Uncertain Terrain

December 12, 2023 Natasha Foote

Despite suffering an outright rejection by the European Parliament, the EU’s plan to slash the use and risk of pesticides in half by 2030 may not be a dead duck just yet as EU ministers set out plans to continue work on their side of the file. But how would that work in practice? Natasha Foote brings you the latest on the file. […]

Pesticides Proposal Rejected in Plenary, Next Steps a SUR-prise

November 23, 2023 Natasha Foote

The European Parliament has outright rejected a proposal on the EU’s plan to slash the use and risk of pesticides in half by 2030 after the core of its substance was lost in the voting process – but the Council says it will still continue work on the file. So what does this mean for its future? Natasha Foote reports. […]

Pesticide Regulation Progresses to Plenary Following Environment Committee Vote

October 25, 2023 Ashley Parsons

The Environment Committee in the European Parliament (ENVI) has ensured a core part of the EU Green Deal – the pesticide regulation – progress towards completion. In a vote yesterday (24th October) the SUR – sustainable use of pesticides regulation – saw some changes introduced, but progress maintained. Despite many delays over the regulation since last June, the SUR text will now face a plenary vote by all Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in November. […]

A Frugal Farm to Fork – Update on Pesticides, new GMOs, Animal Welfare & Sustainable Food Systems

October 20, 2023 Natasha Foote

No progress for the Sustainable Food System Law and only the transport aspect of the animal welfare legislation surviving. Some progress is being made to move the SUR – Sustainable Use of Pesticides regulation – on, though member states and the environment committee in the Parliament may be pushing in opposite directions. And somehow, Parliament is finding time to really push hard and fast for new GMO’s. […]

Agri MEPs Move to Weaken Pesticide Regulation and Starve it of CAP funds

October 10, 2023 Natasha Foote

Lawmakers from the European Parliament’s agriculture committee have greenlit their opinion on the EU’s plan to slash the use and risk of pesticides in half. The agriculture committee (AGRI)’s opinion calls for pushing the target date back from 2030 to 2035, scrapping a ban on the use of pesticides in sensitive areas and block the use of the EU’s farming subsidies programme (CAP) to fund pesticide reduction ambitions. So what does this mean and what’s next? Natasha Foote and Oliver Moore report. […]

(Don’t) Show me the Money! Agri MEPs reject Green Cash Plan for Pesticide Reduction

October 4, 2023 Natasha Foote

Agriculture MEPs have dismissed outright a compromise amendment put forward to help fund farmers’ transition towards reducing the use of pesticides – and, in doing so, forfeited their only card to play in the debate on pesticides. Natasha Foote Reports. […]

EU Green Deal – How are the Agri Elements Progressing?

October 1, 2023 Natasha Foote

With a number of key agrifood files missing-in-action or still jumping through legislative hoops as EU elections loom, the coming months will be the defining moment for the legacy of the Green Deal, the EU’s flagship policy for environmental sustainability. […]

A Summer off? Commission flip flops on NGTs and Pesticides

May 17, 2023 ARC

While the debate intensifies around pesticides and new genomic techniques (NGTs), the European Commission appears to be in a political battle on many fronts as to whether these topics are on or off its agenda for the Summer. […]

SUR – Pesticide Regulation – Delayed by Additional Impact Assessment

December 20, 2022 Ashley Parsons

Pressure from the pesticide lobby and big-ag has successfully delayed the SUR, a regulation essential to reaching Farm to Fork pesticide reduction targets across the EU. On December 19th, at a meeting of the EU Energy Council, the formal request for an additional impact assessment was passed without any Member State blocking it. So what’s next? […]

COP out – all eyes on 19th Dec as Council aims to derail Pesticide Regulation (SUR)

December 16, 2022 ARC

As Ministers meet in Montreal to pontificate about biodiversity, back home in Europe they are working hard to keep nature-destroying pesticides flowing. The EU’s attempt at updating the pesticide regulation – the SUR – may be delayed by 6 months if Ministers get their way, making final passage more difficult. Scientists and civil society are now focused on the Council Meeting 19th December when the next delay of SUR may be copper-fastened. Ashley Parsons and Oliver Moore report. […]