BREAKING: National ministers will discuss – but not vote upon – Nature Restoration Law next Monday

5 months ago 24

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14-06-2024 (updated: 14-06-2024 )

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News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

The Nature Restoration Law aims to restore ecosystems, habitats and species across the EU’s land and sea areas, but has met resistance amongst national governments. [Shutterstock/Nikolay Zaborskikh]

Officials from the 27 national governments decided in Brussels this morning that the contested Nature Restoration Law would be discussed by ministers at Monday’s (17 June) Environmental Council – but not voted upon.

The initial agenda for Monday’s meeting of environmental ministers had provisionally included a vote upon the text.

The move indicates that there is still insufficient support amongst national governments to pass the text into EU law.

The Council had agreed a compromise text with the European Parliament in 2023.

Ministers were due to vote in March to seal the proposal into EU law, but this was shelved after Hungary withdrew support, depriving the text of sufficient support in the Council.

Poland and Slovakia subsequently indicated that they too would no longer vote in favour of the proposal.

In May, 11 countries, led by Ireland, urged other countries to support the proposal. However several officials confirmed to Euractiv that law still lacked sufficient support amongst national governments.

[Edited by Chris Powers]