EU parliament votes by sweeping majority to ban farm pesticides

British government strongly opposed to EU measures which, say critics, may put winter vegetables such as carrots at risk

 

The European parliament voted by a sweeping majority to tighten the use of pesticides in agriculture and to ban 22 treatments, a decision that critics say could wipe out British carrots.

 

The British government and the Conservatives are against the legislation, but the ban and restrictions were carried by a vote of 577 to 61, putting pressure on the 27 EU member states to support the decision.

 

Greens celebrated the vote as a victory for environmentalism. But the farming lobby warned that the restrictions were pointless, would wipe out harvests of winter vegetables, and push up foodprices during a European recession and worsening unemployment.

 

The proposed legislation places tight curbs on crop-spraying, bans the use of pesticides near schools and hospitals, and proscribes 22 chemicals, some said to be carcinogenic.

 

The Green MEP for the south-east, Caroline Lucas, hailed it as "a new milestone for environment and health protection".

"This regulation, the first of its kind in the world, will bring clear health benefits and improve both food and water quality in the EU," she said.

 

Critics argued that the benefits are unproven and that the harm ascribed to the banned or restricted substances was also not based on evidence. Rather, the draft legislation was based on the "what-if" or precautionary principle.

 

Labour, Conservative and SNP MEPs were all against the decision which still has to be agreed by the 27 governments of the EU member states to become law. The British government is expected to oppose the ban.

 

Ministers still have the last say. Britian's environment secretary, Hilary Benn, said: "These regulations could hit agricultural production in the UK for no recognisable benefit to human health, and we are being asked to agree to something here when nobody knows what the impact will be. While we have managed to secure some improvements surrounding the use of certain pesticides, the UK does not support these proposals."