Revision of the EU pollinators initiative – A new deal for pollinators

Key points

The EESC:

• considers that insufficient progress has been made five years after the original initiative, particularly in terms of obtaining the requisite data that would drive policy action forward. The EESC notes a lack of a clear governance on the implementation of the proposed actions and urges the Member States to swiftly endorse the current Communication, strengthening collaboration among public authorities, agricultural stakeholders and research institutions.

• acknowledges that the decline of pollinators is attributed to a variety of factors, welcoming the introduction of a pan-European system for monitoring and governing pollinators (EU-PoMS).

• calls for significant funding for R&D&I to amass essential scientific data and undertake appropriate initiatives to reverse the decrease in pollinator populations, including within the Horizon Europe programme. EU-level coordination is essential for ensuring that national data is consolidated and analysed via an EU platform for pollinators, allowing open access to data.

• advocates the creation of a programme and strategy for pollinator-friendly urban areas, augmenting land-use management practices to foster diversity among pollinators and conserve natural habitats in urban and peri-urban regions.

• calls on the EU and the Member States to rapidly share knowledge and concentrate research on sustainable agriculture practices and effective methods of integrated pest management (IPM). It also calls for appropriate education for farmers regarding environmental measures through national and regional farm advisory systems, encompassing the use of low-risk pesticides that pose no harm to pollinators and IPM.

• welcomes the Commission's request for support from the Committee of the Regions for the implementation of the pollinators initiative, but is disappointed that the EESC was not once mentioned in the two initiatives so far, especially regarding its capacity to promote this strategy among different categories of stakeholders, including through raising awareness.

• highlights the need for proper funding to meet the expectations outlined in the Commission Communication and ensure consistency among the different policy measures and instruments that impact the conservation of wild pollinators. Funding must also be provided to better inform the public at large about the decline of pollinators and the impact on our lives.

• calls for greater transparency regarding pesticide use within the EU and in third countries.

• urges for a worldwide agreement to reduce the use of synthetic pesticides, ensuring universal commitment and fair competition. Although this appears to be a difficult task, more efforts need to be put into international negotiations.