Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-000596/2025/rev.1
to the Commission
Rule 144
Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy (Renew)
During Grüne Woche (Green Week), Commissioner Hansen reportedly said that the time for a one-size-fits-all approach is over: based on available space and population size within each country, different countries should adhere to different rules. He is not open to pleas to reduce livestock. Recently, the Dutch court reprimanded the national government once again for refusing to adopt policies to reduce the nitrogen surplus in the Netherlands, which is damaging the surrounding natural environment beyond the point of no return. Agriculture is responsible for 76 % of Dutch-sourced nitrogen emissions, and the Netherlands has the highest livestock density in Europe. This raises several questions:
- 1.If EU-wide nature preservation and restoration targets are to be mixed with tailor-made agricultural rules per Member State, can the Commission clarify when the population of an EU Member State is entitled to more or less nature?
- 2.Can the Commission assess, in relation to harmful ammonia deposits and a manure surplus – both effects of concentrated livestock farming – the capacity of a Member State to sustain its current livestock density without harming EU nature goals and water quality targets?
- 3.Could the Commission provide us with the scientific basis for rejecting livestock reduction as a policy option?
Submitted: 10.2.2025