The Green Deal has always been the most ambitious part of the current European Commission led by President Ursula von der Leyen and Vice-President Frans Timmermans, who took office four years ago. “But in the meantime it has become a real tribal battle,” says De Vries. “There was enormous resistance. And it’s often not based on facts.’
“There was tremendous resistance. And often it’s not based on facts’
This now also appears to be the case with the Nature Restoration Act, part of the green deal. It narrowly passed the European Parliament’s Environment Committee on Thursday after a vote resulted in an equal number of votes in favor and against. Previously, two parliamentary commissions, that of agriculture and that of fishing, had rejected the controversial legislation.
Party politics
In the end, according to De Vries, it all comes down to party politics. The establishment fears their interests will be jeopardized and is now lobbying hard against the proposal, he says. It quickly becomes a battle of left against right. Partisan politics are no longer relevant in the face of climate change. But this has not yet reached the parties themselves.
What strikes De Vries is that when the committee took office four years ago, nobody was really against the green proposals. “But now, a year before the European elections, these parties suddenly sense an opportunity to win voters.” The European People’s Party, in particular, is a critical voice. The Dutch parties ChristenUnie and CDA are members of this party.
Race not over yet
“Opponents argue that the nature restoration law would pose a danger to the economy,” says De Vries. ‘That puts food safety at risk. Or that too little research has been done on its effects. But it is above all electoral, he thinks. “Rather than showing a vision of the future.”
The “hurdle race” for Timmermans around the Nature Restoration Act is not over yet. “Both camps will make every effort to recruit supporters in the coming weeks,” says Europe’s reporter. A vote on the law will follow later this month in the EU parliament.