Strengthened 2nd pillar urgently needed in financial EU framework 2014-2020
Brussels, 22 June 2011 – The IFOAM EU Group calls for a strengthened financial basis for the second pillar under the financial framework 2014-2020 in a letter sent to Commission President José Manuel Barroso today, as it considers rural development measures being of the upmost importance for the environment and rural society.
"The second pillar is of crucial importance to achieve the environmental goals the EU is committed to. Soil erosion, climate change, loss of biodiversity and scarcity of clean water must be addressed to secure our capacity to maintain a sustainable farming system. The environmental challenge can effectively be met through programmes that go further than basic greening measures", states Christopher Stopes, President of the IFOAM EU Group[i]. "The second pillar of the CAP has also been an effective way to contribute to the viability of rural economies, especially in peripheral regions. Keeping farmers in business in peripheral regions beset with economic problems and often of high natural value, requires more than direct payments, therefore the second pillar needs an appropriate financial basis to deliver to meet these challenges."
"Many intensive agricultural systems in the EU continue to have significant negative environmental impacts[ii] and many rural regions face enormous socio-economic difficulties," adds Thomas Dosch, Vice President of the IFOAM EU Group. "Therefore any attempts to cut the EU budget in rural development policies cannot be in the interest of European citizens. With regard to possible side meetings on the European Council in the next few days and the foreseen publication of the Commission proposal for the EU financial framework 2014-2020 next week, we call on Barroso and the Heads of States to commit to a strong second pillar to face the social, demographic and environmental challenges we face in rural regions by investing in socio-economic development of rural societies as well as in food and farm systems that are less reliant on external inputs, recycle nutrients, work in line with ecological systems and are resilient to changing climate conditions."
More information:
IFOAM EU Group, phone + 32-2-280 12 23, Fax: +32-2-735 73 81,
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , www.ifoam-eu.org
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[i] The IFOAM EU Group represents more than 300 member organisations of IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements) in the EU-27, the EU accession countries and EFTA. Member organisations include: consumer, farmer and processor associations; research, education and advisory organisations; certification bodies and commercial organic companies.
[ii] Adrian Leip, David Grandgirard, Francesco Tubiello, Franz Weiss, Ignacio Perez, Katarzyna Biala, Philippe Loudjani, Suvi Monni, Thomas Fellmann, Tom Wassenaar (2010): Evaluation of the livestock sector's contribution to the EU greenhouse gas emissions (GGELS) – final report. European Commission, Joint Research Centre. http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/analysis/external/livestock-gas/full_text_en.pdf
Too much of a good thing, Nature Comment (2011): Mark A. Sutton, Oene Oenema, Jan Willem Erisman, Adrian Leip, Hans van Grinsven & Wilfried Winiwarter, Nature 472, P. 159–161, (14 April 2011) http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v472/n7342/abs/472159a.html
Does the Amazon suffer from BSE prevention?, Elferink EV et al., Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment Vol 120, 2007, p467– 469, http://ivem.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/FILES/ivempubs/publart/2007/AgricEcosEnvElferink/2007AgricEcosysEnvirElferink.pdf