MEPs are set to vote on Wednesday on the proposed law for nature restoration, while a discussion on the subject is part of the plenary's agenda in the European Parliament headquarters in Strasbourg, France.

Farmers gathered in front of the building in Strasbourg, lining-up tractors and blocking the street leading to it, protesting the nature restoration law.

On June 20, 2023, the Council reached an agreement on the proposal for a nature restoration law. The aim of European Commission's proposal for a Nature Restoration Law is the restoration of wetlands, rivers, forests, grasslands, marine ecosystems, and the species they host, by putting in place recovery measures that will cover at least 20 % of the EU's land and 20 % sea areas by 2030.

As there was no majority during the discussion in the Committee of Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, the Committee has tabled to plenary the proposal to reject the Commission's proposal. The EPP MEPs object to the proposal as the express concerns that the law would damage the livelihoods of farmers and endanger food security.

Farmers who protested outside of the headquarters of the European Parliament on Tuesday morning, told CNA that they are for nature restoration, but they oppose this law, because they find it too strict and they think that it aligns with ecologists' views, but not with farmers' views.

On Wednesday, the plenary will vote to see if there is a majority in favour of rejecting the Commission's proposal. If there is no such majority, the MEPs will vote on any amendments put forward by political groups, or at least 36 MEPs.

Source: Cyprus News Agency