European Commission reverses pesticide ban amid farmers' protests

The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced this Tuesday that she will propose withdrawing the Brussels project on reducing the use of pesticides, highly criticized in the recent farmers' protests that are shaking Europe and that last week reached the heart of the European Union.

"The proposal became a symbol of polarization. That is why I will propose to the College of Commissioners to withdraw this proposal," the leader said before the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, in statements reported by AFP.

Von der Leyen expressed confidence that the Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, will present "a new proposal much more mature, with the participation of interested parties." The president of the European Commission recalled that the proposal had been rejected by the European Parliament and admitted that "there is also no progress in the European Council," the negotiating body for the countries of the block.

The Commission's proposal was approved in the environment committee of the European Parliament, but when it reached the plenary session, in November 2023, it collided with the opposition of the conservative bloc of the European People's Party.

Farmers protests

Farmers in several countries of the bloc , and among the initiatives they criticized was the transition to a more "green" agricultural operation, such as the project on cutting pesticides. Faced with these protests, the Commission assures that it formally opened a "strategic dialogue" with agricultural producers, rural communities and companies in the sector.

The Commission also determined a limit on the import of agricultural products from Ukraine, another reason for the anger of European farmers, and proposed a partial repeal of current rules on fallow land.