EU faces pressure on Green Deal as elections loom

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on the Financial Times or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Protests by farmers have led Brussels to soften some EU green rules. Farmers demonstrated against environmental standards, prompting exemptions and urgent legislative changes
• Agricultural leaders also seek clarity and competitiveness in EU policies amid high energy prices and global trade tensions

🔭 The context: The EU's Green Deal faces backlash as elections approach
• Farmers' protests included dramatic actions as they criticize bureaucratic hurdles and high costs of green transitions
• Some climate laws and reporting obligations have been delayed or scrapped

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Balancing sustainable farming goals with competitiveness is critical as the farming industry remains a large driver of economic activity
• The softened rules may hinder the EU’s climate targets, jeopardising the EU’s broader climate targets
• This highlights  the tension between green policies and industry demands

⏭️ What's next: The European Commission will continue dialogues with various industries but lacks time to pass new legislation before the June elections
• Competitiveness assessment briefs by European Commission directors Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi will guide future policies

💬 One quote: “Do you really think that if Europe scraps [some] reporting obligations, suddenly European industry is saved? It’s a joke” (Bas Eickhout, European Greens)

📈 One stat: Over 60% of surveyed agricultural companies faced permitting delays of one to six years, hindering their ability to receive EU investment 

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