News

The European Commission is preparing a new EU strategy for adaptation to climate change, the presentation of a new strategy under the European Green Deal is expected on 24/02/2021. The unofficial draft of the document emphasizes the high costs of solving problems arising in connection with extreme weather conditions, problems with the spread of the disease, and the negatives associated with trade. More EU funding should be allocated to international climate adaptation, but so should private and public investment. The Commission positively assesses the impact of water resources, forests, and crop production on key functions, including the provision of clean drinking water, carbon sequestration, food and timber production, and habitats. This is not the final text.

On 11/02/2021, the European Commission published a report on the implementation of promotion programs for agricultural and food products. According to the Commission's findings, promotion programs help the competitiveness of the sector as well as raise awareness of the high quality of European production. Between 2016 and 2019, the most supported categories were the fruit (19% of the annual envelope for promotional programs) and vegetables (30%) sectors. The European Commission will review the current rules in 2021 to align promotion programs with the objectives of the European Green Deal, so as early as 2021, half of the budget for promotion programs will be dedicated to meeting the objectives of the European Green Deal. The Commission also states that the forthcoming revision of the promotion programs will be carried out in line with the Europe’s beating cancer plan, which aims to reduce the consumption of tobacco, alcoholic beverages, and red and processed meat.
More information is available here.

On 09/02/2021, the Commission launched feedback on the review of promotion programs inside and outside the Union for EU agricultural and food products. The Commission will review EU policy to increase its contribution to sustainable production and consumption. The consultation is open until 09/03/2021, available here.

The Commission is still receiving feedback on updating EU rules on industrial emissions. The initiative aims to update the rules in such a way that, thanks to the contribution of industry, the state of the environment continues to improve. The consultation is open until 23/03/2021, available here.

On 08/02/2021, the Commission launched feedback on environmental protection through criminal law. The Directive on the protection of the environment through criminal law is intended to protect the environment through criminal law, appropriate sanctions, and cross-border cooperation. The consultation is open until 03/05/2021, available here.

The German government has confirmed the finding of a third outbreak of H5N8 avian influenza on a farm in the Uckermark District of Brandenburg. 14,000 turkeys were killed in connection with this case. At the end of January 2021, Sweden also confirmed the occurrence of bird flu, where 1.3 million poultry had to be killed due to the disease on a chicken farm.
More information is available here.

Germany approved a new legislative regulation on 10/02/2021 to strengthen insect protection. The new regulation aims to enhance insect biodiversity, further tighten pesticide use, and ban the use of glyphosate by 2024. In addition, its use will be severely restricted until a total ban on glyphosate. German farmers have already opposed the government's decision, stressing that the regulation would fundamentally jeopardize their viability and business. Germany's initiative is influenced, among other things, by its efforts to meet the goals of European strategies, including Farm to Fork. In Germany, efforts are currently being made to ban the production and subsequent export of active substances that are banned from use in the EU but may continue to be used in third countries. The same legislation has already been introduced by France and will enter into force in 2022.
More information is available here, here and here.