Joint Statement The EU must make pesticide reduction a reality

February 23, 2024 Joint Statement The EU must make pesticide reduction a reality We, the undersigned 125 organisations, condemn the failure of the European Parliament, Council and Commission to deliver on a crucial element of the Green Deal: pesticide reduction. [...] Right from the outset, it was the pesticide and wider agribusiness industry - corporations that make big profits on the backs of farmers – who launched attacks on the Green Deal, Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategy2. [...] Last year, over 6000 scientists raised the alarm on the impact of pesticides on biodiversity and the crucial need of a strong regulation to drastically reduce the use of pesticides to ensure our long-term food security4. [...] We call on the European Commission to keep the focus on the real issues faced by farmers, including fair incomes, while accelerating the transition towards resilient food systems not dependent on synthetic pesticides, and ensuring access to safe and nutritious food for all. [...] An ambitious regulation at the European level for reducing pesticide use, aligned with the Farm to Fork objectives and the post-2020 Global Biodiversity targets, is urgently needed to make this transition possible, and must remain a priority of the next EU mandate.