The European Parliament adopts a law on biodiversity

The bill to restore ecosystems in the EU was adopted by the European Parliament on Wednesday. The text must now be negotiated with the member states.

The European Parliament voted on Wednesday 12 July in favor of the bill aimed at restoring ecosystems in the European Union (EU), despite the strong opposition of the European People’s Party MEPs.

MEPs passed the bill with 336 votes in favor (300 against and 13 abstentions). They must now negotiate the final text with the EU member states to reach an agreement before the elections that take place in Parliament in 2024.

The bill, which aims to restore the natural environments of countries in the bloc – 81% are considered to be in poor condition – has sparked a lively debate, with MEPs and some governments opposing it and wondering if the EU did not that. impose too many environmental regulations on the industry.

The EPP opposed the bill

The European People’s Party (EPP), which brings together most parliamentarians in the European Parliament, opposed this bill, arguing that it would threaten agricultural production and endanger food security. The European Commission and scientists have rejected these conclusions.

Ahead of the vote, EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius warned against rejecting the text, which he said would damage the EU’s credibility on the international stage.

At the UN summit in Montreal in December, member states set 23 targets to conserve biodiversity, including an agreement to protect 30% of the world’s land and oceans by the end of the decade.

Reuters