European Parliament Environment Committee initially supports controversial nature restoration law after tense vote | News

In short, the European Commission wants to restore biodiversity and ecosystems and arm nature in Europe against climate change. However, critics argue that the measures go too far and could, for example, cause problems for agriculture in the EU.

The European Parliament and the Council of the EU, in which the responsible ministers sit, must ultimately approve the proposal. Dutch European Commissioner Frans Timmermans submitted the proposal, but the controversy forced Commission President Ursule Von der Leyen to change course.

The outcome of the first vote in the powerful environment committee seems to make the bill more likely to be accepted by the full parliament next month. Earlier, two other parliamentary committees, those of Agriculture and Fisheries, voted against the controversial legislation.

The political atmosphere surrounding the vote was tense. The Christian Democrats united in the EPP previously left negotiations on a compromise text within the environment committee. There are also many critics among the liberals. The Green faction called on the members to give up the resistance. Opponents had tabled several amendments to reject the wildlife restoration bill, but they narrowly failed.

The European Commission’s proposal also caused a stir within the Belgian government. Prime Minister Alexander De Croo spoke out against the nature restoration law: “We must press the pause button.” Green was not happy about it. “He is not the spokesperson for the major polluters,” said co-chair Nadia Naji on HLN LIVE. Watch the snippet below.

Belgium has asked to discuss the nature restoration law next Tuesday. There are reports that Sweden, the current president of the European Councils of Ministers, wants to remove the item from the agenda.

A letter from the German environment minister, co-signed by France, Spain and Luxembourg, asks not to do so. Belgium has now decided, at the suggestion of federal minister Petra De Sutter, to co-sign that letter.

In the letter, the signatory countries express their confidence that an agreement is possible. They also point out that burying the law would reflect negatively on the Union’s international image. “No one should press a pause button for nature,” says De Sutter. “We must not lose this momentum. If Sweden cancels a vote on the nature restoration law, it will ignore the degradation of nature and its impact on people and the economy. We really need to prevent that.”

“Sweden has proposed some good adjustments and, as far as we are concerned, these can be discussed at the Council on Tuesday,” said the cabinet of Flemish minister Zuhal Demir. “Governments agree that delay is pointless and contributes nothing.” The cabinet does point out that Sweden has yet to come up with a final text.

“Twenty member states, including Belgium and the Netherlands, have expressed their support for keeping the nature restoration law on the agenda of the Council and for the continuation of talks towards a compromise. Only Poland resisted. New proposal expected for Friday, we won’t give in,” Federal Environment Minister Zakia Khattabi tweeted after that meeting.