Joint open letter: Publication of the revision of the legislation on the sustainable use of pesticides

The new EU pesticide law containing a pesticide reduction target is under threat. In a cynical move, big farm lobbies and conservative politicians abuse the terrible war in Ukraine to get the EU Farm to Fork targets off the table. This attack is not new; the same actors tried to derail the Farm to Fork Strategy two years ago, using the Covid-19 crisis as an excuse. In addition, lobby groups call for lowering of food safety standards for imports, and it seems the Commission is listening to them.

Fifty three organisations and federations of NGOs and farming groups warn in an open letter about the misuse of the current situation to advance the political agenda of private sector lobby groups with regards to the EU environmental and health commitments in general and pesticides in particular.

In the letter they urge the European Commission to:



• Not postpone the much-needed reform of the SUD pesticide law;

• Make sure that the reform is ambitious enough and contains strong legally binding use reduction targets and other provisions in line with the civil society joint statement on the revision of the SUD and ensuring that farmers are supported in this transition.

• Make sure that all EU food and feed safety standards are upheld;

• Stand by its commitment to the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategies and

transitioning away from our current agricultural model and its reliance on external

inputs.

A new report by Corporate Europe Observatory titled 'A loud lobby for a silent spring' sheds light on the lobbying tactics used by the pesticides industry, and relayed by other lobbies and political actors, to undermine and derail the EU's Farm to Fork Strategy.