The EU Parliament passed a climate law after farmers’ revolt – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries

The vote on the new legislative package on Tuesday should have been a formality. But the law has met with opposition from farmers in the union, who have protested in several European cities. On Monday, almost 1,000 tractors blocked the EU headquarters in Brussels. This led to the largest party group in the EU Parliament, the conservative EPP, turning around at the last second and giving the law the thumbs down. But despite the turnaround, a majority went in to pass the law on Tuesday. 329 representatives voted for the legislative package, while 275 voted against. 24 representatives voted blankly. Important for green transformation The new law is important for the green given in the EU. She orders member countries to restore at least 30 percent of destroyed green areas and wetlands by 2030. By 2050, 90 percent of the ecosystem must be in balance. In addition, the law has clear targets for biological diversity in agriculture, and that bog and peatland must be restored. – The new law contributes to us being able to fulfill more of our international climate obligations, says the social democratic EU parliamentarian Cesar Luena to AFP. Farmers in the EU fear worse conditions for agriculture after the new law has been adopted in the EU Parliament. Photo: Virginia Mayo / AP But the farmers believe that the new law leads to bad conditions for agriculture, and the rebellion that has been in the EU lately threatens to overturn the whole agreement. Supporting the farmers EPP leader Manfred Weber held a press conference on Tuesday where he explained why the party group turned around. He says they think the law does not respond to the challenges we face. – The law is poorly written, and does not deliver the cases. We must ask the farmers to produce more, not less, he said. EPP leader Manfred Weber Photo: KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / AFP But the social democratic S & D, the green and liberal Renew believe the EPP is irresponsible, and are blamed for engaging in peasant populism. Now the law must be formally adopted by the EU’s Council of Ministers before it enters into force. But after the EPP has turned, it is uncertain whether there is a majority for the legislative package there, writes Reuters.



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