EU Parliament votes to exclude cows from industrial emissions cutting plan

Lawmakers in the European Parliament adopted their position ahead of negotiations with the EU ministers on Commission’s new rules to curb pollution in the industrial sector proposing to exclude cattle farming from the count.

On Tuesday (11 July), as MEPs geared up for the contentious vote on the nature restoration law in Strasbourg, they voted on another key piece of legislation for the EU’s green transition: the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED).

Unveiled by the EU executive in April 2022, the proposal aims to reduce harmful emissions coming from industrial installations, including some of the largest livestock farms in the EU.

The Commission had proposed to extend the IED to include larger-scale cattle farming, more pig and poultry farms, as well as a threshold of 150 ‘livestock units’ (LSUs) for all livestock – meaning the point at which farms will be defined as ‘industrial’ and therefore penalised under the directive.

However, MEPs voted in plenary to water down the EU executive’s ambitions by excluding cattle farms and keeping existing rules for industrial farms – currently defined as any farm with more than 40,000 poultry, 2,000 pigs, or 750 sows.

The proposal had already proved controversial, causing a split in the agriculture and environment committees in recent months.

While environment MEPs backed the Commission’s proposal to extend the IED to include larger-scale cattle farming, as well as more pig and poultry farms, their agriculture counterparts with whom they share competence on all livestock sector aspects, called for cattle to be completely exempted.

The rapporteur of the file and member of the Parliament’s environment committee, centre-right MEP Radan Kanev, said that the adopted position “provides breathing space for businesses”, adding that “better environmental protection does not need to lead to more bureaucracy”.

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EU ministers, on the other hand, have already settled on their negotiating position on the proposal back in March – which means interinstitutional negotiations will now begin under the Spanish Presidency of the EU Council.

The EU Council’s position intends to increase the threshold for industrial livestock farming to 350 LSU for pigs and cattle and to 280 LSU for poultry, an approach that is closer to the Commission’s proposal than to the European Parliament’s while still lowering the original ambitions.

The compromise reached by ministers also includes provisions for an exemption for extensive farming to apply the requirements of the directive.

What's the beef? Vote on industrial farming emissions splits EU Parliament

The European Parliament’s environment committee has adopted its position on EU rules to slash industrial emissions, including from the largest farms, which is in direct contrast to that of their agricultural counterparts, who may now table their own amendments for the final vote.

The ‘worst’ possible outcome

Green and liberal shadow rapporteurs have slammed the position of the Parliament for missing the opportunity to adapt to the climate crisis and overhaul a set of rules that have remained unchanged since 2010.

Liberal MEP Michal Wiezik said that the outcome of the vote is “the worst outcome hardly possible” and yet “another blow to the integrity of the European Green Deal”.

“The Parliament decided to water down and eliminate all significant improvements of the Proposal,” he said, “it is really tragic that [the European Parliament] is not willing to even consider the inclusion of the biggest and most intensive farms under the scope of IED.”

He added that the outcome is also “a clear signal to the citizens that the protection of the environment and human health is a fine goal, as long as it does not interfere with the status quo in agriculture.”

Similarly, green MEP Jutta Paulus added that “under pressure from the European People’s Party, industrial farms, which are responsible for the majority of climate-damaging methane emissions, will continue to be exempt from emission reduction obligations.”

“The Industrial Emissions Directive should not be about climate protection versus pollution, because both threats endanger our livelihoods,” she said.

NGOs have also criticised a ‘weak’ version of the IED that “has actually worsened standards when it comes to pollution from factory farms”, according to ClientEarth lawyer Bellinda Bartolucci.

“This law is all headlines and no content,” she added, “on behalf of everyone who needs protection from illegal pollution, and their rights upheld, we’re bitterly disappointed.”

In a statement, however, farming lobby Copa-Cogeca has welcomed MEPs’ “clear message of support to the farming sector”.

“In trilogue, negotiators should make sure that this rule does not create more harm than the good it is intended to protect and, especially, that it does not enlarge the scope of application,” the organisation said.

Agri stakeholders slam minister's agreement on EU plans to slash emissions

After months of back and forth, EU ministers finally settled on their negotiating position on a proposal to see the EU’s industrial emissions slashed, but their final agreement has not gone down well with farming stakeholders.

[Edited by Gerardo Fortuna/Nathalie Weatherald]

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