The European Green Deal is a turning point for Europe, but why did it anger European farmers?

« Europe’s man on the moon moment » (“Europe’s Man on the Moon Moment”: Von Der Leyen Unveils EU Green Deal, 2020). This is how Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, defined the European Green Deal. In her announcement of this new strategy in 2019, Von der Leyen described the European Green Deal as an unprecedented turning point for Europe towards increasing the potential growth of the EU. In fact, the European Green Deal is an approach aiming to make the European continent the first continent to attain carbon neutrality by 2050. This ambitious plan establishes a series of measures put forward by the European Commission in order to ensure the sustainability of the EU economy by addressing and transforming the challenges regarding the climate and the environment to prospects in varied areas. Nevertheless, towards the end of February 2024, a group of European cities experienced tough days scarred by protests from farmers against some of the measures taken by the European Union within the scope of  the European Green Deal.

The purpose of the current article is on the one hand to review the main goals, components and strategic contexts of the European Green Deal briefly, and on the other hand, focus on the exact policies of the European Green Deal that made the farmers enraged. 

What does the European Green Deal consist of?

In December 2019, the European Commission presented the European Green Deal as an ambitious project enrolled within the preoccupation carried out towards climate change, the deterioration of the environment, in addition to the search for a better alternative to the current economy towards a more sustainable and friendly one. Indeed, the whole world is conscient about the emergency claimed by climate change in the sense that immediate measures must be taken to serve the long term. This is where the European Union measures get involved. 

The European Union is working to fully engage in what was agreed upon during the Paris Climate Agreement which  is aspiring to keep global warming to far below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, as well as maintaining attempts to keep temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The European Green Deal is an attempt at reform.

At the heart of the European Green Deal initiative, there’s a strategy called “farm to fork” (French: De la ferme á la table). This is a strategy that fits within the measures for agriculture. In fact, food systems account for around one-third of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, which affects the environment significantly. (De La Ferme à La Table, n.d.) Moreover, the fact that more than half of the European adults are overweight suggests that the continent’s current food paradigm is not doing well for people’s health. (De La Ferme à La Table, n.d.) In this sense, this initiative aims to  enhance the sustainability and health of food in Europe.

The strategy was presented in 2020 by the European Commission in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic that has highlighted the importance of having a strong and resilient food system operating under all circumstances and ensuring access to sufficient supplies at reasonable prices for everyone. The last  pandemic is just one example. The increasing occurrences of droughts, floods, or new pests serve as constant reminders that the food systems in Europe need to become more sustainable and resilient. In this regard, the strategy’s objective is to replace the existing food chain in the European Union with one that becomes more environmentally friendly.

In light of this, the approach establishes several lofty goals for itself: Its primary goal is to ensure an adequate supply of food, both affordable and nutrient-dense, while respecting the earth’s resources and environmental limitations. In addition, it seeks to promote the implementation of organic and biodiversity-friendly agricultural practices whilst drastically reducing the usage of pesticides, fertilisers, and antimicrobials. Simultaneously, the approach aspires  to decrease the disposal of food along the entire supply chain and encourage diets that are more sustainable and healthful. Additionally, it endeavours to enhance animal welfare in agricultural production systems and combat food fraud. 

The shift towards a more ecologically sustainable food system is also perceived as a chance to lay foundations for new business ventures. The strategy intends to provide an equitable and accessible economy, increasing the incomes of stakeholders in the agri-food industry, and paving the way for sustainable food products and activities.

The European Council passed resolutions endorsing the “farm to fork” approach in October 2020: The Member States pledged to support the EU’s 2050 carbon neutrality goal while simultaneously assuring access to sufficient and reasonably priced food. Furthermore, they emphasised how crucial it is to maintain European agriculture’s competitiveness in the global market while providing primary producers with a stable income and support system.

However, there is not only the positive aspect of this agreement because European farmers have other opinions. Resolutions and pledges are a good kick-off, but they also need to be successfully implemented in close collaboration with those whom they concern. This is where the complexity of the farmers’ protests comes into play, highlighting the challenges and perspectives that must be addressed for effective policy implementation. 

The reasons behind the European farmers’ protests

The European farmers are angry about several European Union policies, but the European Green Deal is at the top of the list. The European Green Deal and the “Farm to Fork” strategy are part of the EU’s quest for environmental sustainability and sustainable development. However, these initiatives face significant challenges, especially by farmers who consider their implementation to be burdensome. These challenges include the need for a major shift in agricultural methods, such as switching to organic farming, which requires significant investment and adaptation time, as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions which are costly and may not be affordable for all farmers.

Farmers in France, Germany, and Italy are speaking out against the green regulations implemented by the European Union, claiming they have lost income as a result of the climate issue. They express concerns about these policies’ future and believe that they are unfair and contradictory. The idea that metropolitan authorities are ignoring rural areas has sparked protests against the new environmental restrictions. Claims are being made in a number of European nations that far-right groups are trying to take advantage of the farmers’ ire, particularly in light of the impending European elections.

To address these challenges, farmers are demanding more financial support from the EU to help with the costs associated with moving to more sustainable agricultural methods. They also want greater flexibility in implementing the Green Deal to allow better adaptation to local conditions and agricultural specificities. Finally, they stress the importance of supporting innovation and developing new technologies that enable them to achieve the goals of the Green Deal without sacrificing productivity.

In the face of discontent, the European Commission made two concessions Wednesday, 31 January 2024: They proposed a “partial exemption” from the mandatory land relief imposed by the Common Agricultural Policy for 2024 and considered a mechanism to limit Ukrainian imports, especially poultry.. (Press Corner, n.d.)

Farmers’ anger is mounting in Europe where police arrested about a hundred farmers on the same Wednesday in France after they stormed the storage area of the Rungis market, the world’s largest market for fresh produce and an important supply point for the French capital. Seventy-nine people have been arrested there, and fifteen more  for “obstructing traffic” near Rangerges, south of Paris. 

The protest movement is not limited to France –  other member states such as Germany, Poland, Romania and Belgium have also seen demonstrations in the same weeks. In Italy, thousands of farmers from Sardinia demonstrated to Piedmont again. Demonstrators held up a banner reading “Agriculture is dying” in the northern town of Cuneo as they demonstrated. In Spain, protests  have been reported near León and Zamora in the northwest. On Tuesday 30 January 2024, the Greek government, which is also seeing growing opposition from the farming community, promised to accelerate the distribution of financial assistance to farmers impacted by the floods that occurred a year ago.

Back to what the European Commission suggests. Firstly, it is proposing to grant a “partial” derogation for 2024 from the set-aside obligations imposed by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Secondly, it is considering a mechanism to limit imports from Ukraine, particularly of poultry. However, this derogation comes “late” in the agricultural calendar and remains “limited”, according to Copa-Cogeca, the umbrella organisation of the majority agricultural unions in the EU (Press Corner, n.d.). 

Despite support measures, including the abandonment of the tax on non-road diesel and €80 million in aid for winegrowers, the French government has so far failed to put out the fire and is mobilising on the European front. Anger is crystallising around the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the 27 Member States, which some consider to be out of touch with reality. Through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the European Union promotes agriculture. Since its founding in 1962, it has undergone a number of modifications aimed at improving farmer justice and sustainability in agriculture.

Farmers’ concerns about the European Green Deal: Towards a fair and sustainable transition

To sum up, European farmers’ anger at the European Green Deal, and in particular the “farm to table” strategy, is deeply rooted in their day-to-day concerns and realities. Through widespread demonstrations in several European countries, farmers have clearly expressed their disagreement and concern about the implications of this policy.

At the heart of their discontent are legitimate concerns about the sustainability of their farming practices, their economic viability and their ability to meet the growing global demand for food . The “farm to fork” strategy, while having laudable aims of reducing agriculture’s environmental footprint, raises fears about its consequences for farmers themselves.

Farmers fear that increased demands for sustainability, carbon reduction and biodiversity protection will force them into unattainable standards or prohibitive costs, compromising their ability to maintain viable farms and secure their livelihoods.

However, it is crucial to recognise that the European Green Pact aims to promote a transition towards a greener and more sustainable economy, offering opportunities for modernisation, innovation and diversification for the agricultural sector. It is imperative that the policies developed take into account the specific needs and challenges faced by farmers while guaranteeing environmental protection and long-term food security.

To resolve this conflict, an open and inclusive dialogue between farmers, policy-makers and relevant stakeholders is essential. It is necessary to pursue and find  solutions that balance environmental imperatives with the economic and social realities of farmers while promoting a fair and equitable transition towards more sustainable and resilient agriculture.

In this quest to reconcile the objectives of the European Green Pact with the realities of agriculture, a central question emerges: how can we guarantee a fair and equitable transition for all the players involved while ensuring long-term environmental protection and food security? This calls for in-depth reflection on the support mechanisms, incentive policies and accompanying programmes needed to help farmers make this transition. How can we encourage innovation, invest in sustainable farming practices, and guarantee a decent standard of living for European farmers? These questions call for open dialogue and close collaboration between political decision-makers, farmers, scientists, and civil society to find appropriate solutions to the complex challenges facing Europe.

Sources

Baechler, L. (2022). Le Pacte vert européen : A la hauteur de ses ambitions ? L’Europe en Formation, n° 393(2), 64-76. https://doi.org/10.3917/eufor.393.0064

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Farm to fork strategy. (n.d.). Food Safety. https://food.ec.europa.eu/horizontal-topics/farm-fork-strategy_en

Ledroit, V. (2024, February 9). “De la ferme a la table” : La stratégie de l’Union européenne pour verdir l’agriculture. Touteleurope.eu. https://www.touteleurope.eu/agriculture-et-peche/de-la-ferme-a-la-table-comment-l-ue-veut-verdir-nos-assiettes/

Press corner. (n.d.). European Commission – European Commission. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_781

Que contient Le Pacte vert dénoncé par Les agriculteurs ? (2024, January 25). France Culture. https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceculture/podcasts/la-question-du-jour/que-contient-le-pacte-vert-denonce-par-les-agriculteurs-8104732