EU Parliament wants more flexibility on CAP environmental rules. And rejects “veggie burgers”

Brussels – The European Parliament today (8 October) put down on paper its demands on two important agriculture-related files: the simplification of the Common Agricultural Policy and the revision of the regulation on the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets. In both cases, the right-wing and extreme right-wing parties brought their weight to bear: in the end, what emerges is that there is no longer any room in Strasbourg for what the conservative universe brands as “woke ideology.” 

The text on the simplification of the CAP—approved with 492 votes in favour and only the opposition of the Greens, the Left and a handful of Socialists and Liberals—goes somewhat further than the European Commission’s proposal. In fact, MEPs want more flexibility on farms’ compliance with environmental rules. From which they demand exemption not only for fully organic farms, but also for those partially certified as such, those located in special conservation areas, and those smaller than 50 hectares. 

According to Camilla Laureti, MEP for the Democratic Party, it is “serious that environmental and climate ambitions have suffered yet another attack.” But on the other hand, “the reduction of administrative burdens and the increased support for small and medium-sized farmers go in the right direction to simplify and protect their work.” To enable more farmers to receive support in the event of a loss of income or part of their production due to “events beyond their control,” the EU Parliament suggests lowering the threshold for accessing national funds from the 20 per cent loss of production or average annual income proposed by the Commission to 15 per cent.

Even clearer was the majority with which the EU Parliament’s negotiating mandate on the amendment to the regulation on the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets (CMO) was approved: 532 votes in favour, 78 against, and 25 abstentions. The Greens and the Left also shared the objective of rebalancing the power relations in the agri-food chain, strengthening the position of farmers. Among those against, some 30 MEPs from the People’s Party and as many from the Liberals stood out. 

With the introduction of compulsory written contracts, “we correct an imbalance in the food supply chain and recognise for the first time that production costs must be central in the definition of the price,” rejoiced Dem Dario Nardella. The EU Parliament aims to reduce the value threshold to €4,000—compared to the €10,000 proposed by the Commission—below which member states can decide that contracts for the distribution of agricultural products are not compulsory. “We must put an end to precarious and unbalanced trade relations. We need to guarantee fair remuneration to those who feed us, taking into account production costs,” explained the rapporteur, EPP MEP Céline Imart. 

The quarrel on “veggie burgers”, however, held the stage on this text: the rapporteur herself had put an amendment on the table—already approved in committee—to ensure that terms such as steak, escalope, sausage, or hamburger could only be used for products containing meat. Specifying that meat means “edible parts of animals.” The amendment passed with 355 votes in favour, 247 against and 30 abstentions. The socialists—and among them the PD—were split: half were against tofu sausages and vegan burgers, while the other half was in favour. 

Valentina Palmisano, MEP of the 5 Star Movement, denounced “the umpteenth and paradoxical witch hunt against the use and consumption of vegetable proteins.” A witch-hunt that has been going on for a long time: just two years ago, the European Parliament rejected en bloc a series of amendments to the Common Agricultural Policy tabled by the extreme right, which called precisely for the elimination of the use of meat names for plant-based products. This time, the European Parliament itself is trying to bring about its end. In between, the European elections that have shifted the balance of the Parliament decisively to the right. 

The European Union wants to move quickly on both issues. Negotiations with the member states are scheduled to begin as early as 9 October for the simplification of the CAP and 14 October for the amendments to the CMO regulations. The aim is to definitively adopt the rules as early as the November plenary session.