But in an interview with De Zondag, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said the bill “may seem good, but it is a bad law.”
He added: “I am not against a law that protects our nature, quite the contrary. I am against bad legislation. …This needs to go back to the drawing board. Let’s see carefully, during the next legislature, how to address this issue.”
Alain Maron, Minister of the Environment of the Brussels Region, said De Croo’s comments were “unworthy of a Council President”.
Pointing out that the European Parliament and EU governments reached agreement on the law last year, Maron added: “The (law) deserves determination, not weakness.” »
Maron, a Green politician, chaired the meeting of environment ministers last week at which the bill was expected to be passed. The Belgian presidency postponed the vote after it became clear that the law had not achieved the required majority.
Belgium was already considering abstaining from any vote on the law because there was no consensus among its regional governments.
The Nature Restoration Act “will create more uncertainty,” De Croo argued. “Will people still be able to build and do business? … This may mean it is difficult to build and land currently used for agriculture is taken away.”
During negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council, agricultural land restoration requirements were made voluntary for farmers and private landowners.
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