– We must stay the course – said the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, when asked how she imagines the future of the Green Deal if she is elected for a second term. However, she emphasized that the Commission listens to the “justified concerns of Polish farmers.”
The green transformation was one of the priorities of the current European Commission, but some decisions leading to the achievement of EU environmental goals were met with dissatisfaction by farmers in many European countries, including Poland.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk spoke several times about the need to revise the Green Deal. During his March visit to Lithuania, the head of the Polish government emphasized that Europe does not have to be doomed to a civil war between ecology and agriculture.
– We will find a way to ensure that the provisions of the Green Deal do not harm the interests of large groups of people, not only farmers – he announced.
When asked about this issue, the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, running for a second term, emphasized that the European Green Deal is a growth strategy that allows the EU to create good jobs for Europeans in a world of “fierce competition in the field of clean technologies”.
– So we must maintain the chosen course and on this issue I fully agree with my friend Donald Tusk – she said.
At the same time, we listen to the legitimate concerns of Polish farmers and take appropriate actions, she added.
The head of the European Commission emphasized that Europe is already supporting Polish farmers with EUR 22 billion under the Common Agricultural Policy, and “there will be even more of it.”
Among the decisions favorable to farmers, von der Leyen mentioned, among others: EU regulation abolishing the obligation to fallow 4%. arable land, reduced bureaucracy and greater flexibility in meeting environmental requirements.
Let’s take small farms with an area of less than 10 hectares. That’s 65 percent. all farmers in the EU. I decided to exempt them from inspections and penalties regarding environmental requirements. This will be a huge difference, emphasized von der Leyen.
The head of the European Commission also informed that the EU is conducting a dialogue with farmers and all participants of the agri-food chain, and the effects of these talks will have a direct impact on the work in the next term.
However, this does not mean giving up on climate ambitions.
I work and will continue to work with farmers and for farmers so that together we achieve our climate goals. Young people would never forgive us if we did not do everything in our power to achieve them, said the head of the European Commission.
The European Green Deal is the EU strategy that responds to problems resulting from climate change and environmental degradation. One of its assumptions is for the EU to achieve climate neutrality in 2050.
On Tuesday, Ursula von der Leyen will be a guest of the European Economic Congress in Katowice. Farmers will also protest on site.
