The advantage of using pesticides and synthetic fertilizers is a significant reduction in agricultural production costs and labor intensity. On the other hand, restricting their use aims to protect the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems. The EU also seeks to increase innovation and competitiveness in agricultural production, which may seem counterintuitive initially. Naturally, new regulations have met with resistance from food producers who see them as ineffective and threatening to their industry. To make matters worse, a serious breach recently emerged in the free trade of agricultural products within the EU market. On one side, EU farmers are highly restricted by environmental initiatives, while on the other, there’s a sudden influx of cheap products from Ukraine, produced without ambitious restrictions, resulting in much lower production costs.
Opening of Borders for Ukrainian Farmers
Opening the borders to agricultural production from Ukraine poses a major problem as it threatens the competitiveness of EU farmers. Ukrainian farmers can sell their products at lower prices due to reduced production costs, partly because of lower quality standards, environmental protection, and animal welfare standards. Additionally, Ukrainian farmers benefit from preferential trade conditions under the Association Agreement with the EU, which allows the import of certain agricultural products duty-free or with limited quotas.
In response to the open borders, EU farmers protested, demanding quality and phytosanitary controls at the border and restrictions or suspensions on Ukrainian agricultural imports, which they argue harm domestic markets.
In response to these protests, the European Commission proposed temporary protective measures on Ukrainian imports of rapeseed, wheat, corn, and sunflower seeds, effective until June 5, 2023. The EC also announced a support package of €100 million for affected farmers in five EU member states, including Poland. However, some experts and agricultural organizations believe these measures are insufficient as they do not address the problem of unequal competition and fail to protect EU agricultural markets from uncontrolled imports from Ukraine.
Food Producers’ Protests
EU Regulations in Response to Farmers’ Protests
Pesticide Use Restrictions
To better understand farmers, it’s essential to look at the EU’s policies on implementing sustainable development principles and environmentally friendly practices. These actions apply not only to agriculture but also to other sectors, including energy, industrial production, and transportation, making agriculture part of a broader plan.
Plant protection products, commonly known as pesticides, are chemical or biological substances used to combat pests, diseases, and weeds. When misused, however, they can harm human and animal health. Farmers use them as they effectively protect crops and reduce production costs. Due to potential environmental and health risks, the European Commission has introduced numerous restrictions on their marketing and use. To offset these restrictions, the EU promotes sustainable and integrated plant protection methods, focusing on prevention, monitoring, and natural, non-toxic alternatives.
Regulations Introduced by the European Union in Recent Years
In 2022-2023, the EU imposed several restrictions on agricultural crops and animal husbandry, primarily regarding pesticide, fertilizer, and feed use.
Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of June 5, 2019, establishes rules for the marketing of EU fertilizing products, amending Regulations (EC) No. 1069/2009 and (EC) No. 1107/2009, and repealing Regulation (EC) No. 2003/2003. This regulation sets quality and safety requirements for fertilizers and fertilizing products, limiting certain unwanted substances, such as cadmium, mercury, lead, and plastic. It also aims to promote the production and use of fertilizers made from organic or recycled raw materials in line with circular economy principles.
Regulation (EU) 2020/741 of the European Parliament and of the Council of May 25, 2020, amends Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005 regarding maximum residue levels (MRLs) for pesticides in food and feed of plant and animal origin and on their surface. This regulation lowers the MRLs for certain active substances in pesticides, including chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos-methyl, 2,4-D, 2,4,5-T, and MCPA. It aims to ensure a high level of health protection for humans, animals, and the environment against the harmful effects of pesticides.
Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/155 of February 9, 2021, amends Annexes I and IV to Regulation (EC) No. 999/2001 regarding preventive, control, and eradication measures for certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (prion diseases). This regulation introduces new rules on the production, composition, and labeling of livestock feed to prevent the spread of prion diseases such as BSE and CWD.
Summary
In this article, I presented the latest EU initiatives to introduce sustainable development and environmentally friendly economic policies. It is difficult to resist the conclusion that economies restricted by ecological standards, labor laws, and bans on certain substances become uncompetitive. Therefore, they should be protected by customs and partially subsidized. This, in turn, can lead to increased protectionism, which will make them grossly uncompetitive and deficit-ridden. We’ve seen this repeatedly throughout history. Will the EU find the right path for its food production sector?
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