Bijdrage mili­eu­com­missie over het special verslag van de Europese Reken­kamer over de bescherming van wilde bestuivers in de EU

Anja Hazekamp (PvdD): Thank you chair.

I’d like to thank the auditors for this important report. Sadly, it is clear that the EU policies, budgets and legislation are failing to protect one of the most crucial elements in our ecosystems: our pollinators.

And I am afraid that the dramatic votes last week on the Common Agricultural Policy will make it much worse. I would like to ask Mr. Jereb his reflections on the future of the CAP after the votes in the European Parliament last week.

You conclude that the EU biodiversity strategy to 2020 does not include specific actions for wild pollinators. Unfortunately this is also true for the Farm to Fork Strategy.

As ENVI-rapporteur on Farm to Fork, I would also like to hear your suggestions for the most urgent actions we should call for to halt and reverse the decline of these animals.

And specifically: What exact targets would we need regarding the reduction of the use of pesticides?

What reference year would you recommend for these targets?

And finally, how can we make those targets binding and ensure their enforcement? Because we have seen that all the promises to halt biodiversity loss in the past have been broken time and time again.

Thank you.