Europe Abandons Plan to Reduce Pesticide Use by 50%

EU Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen confirmed that the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Regulation (SUR) is no longer on the EU agenda. The plan to halve pesticide use by 2030, a key part of the European Green Deal (EGD), has been shelved due to lack of progress in stakeholder discussions. The EGD aims to achieve climate neutrality and minimize resource use by 2050, but this setback raises concerns about Europe's commitment to its green ambitions. Economic and political factors, such as attracting younger generations to farming, may be overshadowing environmental concerns. Proposed in 2022, the pesticide reduction plan faced strong opposition and farmer protests. While EU Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen initially stressed its importance, new proposals have been postponed. Commissioner Hansen suggests future initiatives might focus on imported food meeting EU standards rather than domestic pesticide reduction. This shift could impact agricultural exports, potentially easing pressure on exporters while increasing scrutiny on Maximum Residue Levels for imported agricultural products.