The Ministry of Agriculture on Wednesday rejected claims by MEP Biljana Borzan (SDP) that the government is directly lobbying and advocating that the European Union abandons the binding goals of reducing the use of chemical pesticides in food production.

The Ministry of Agriculture said it absolutely rejects the “inaccurate, petty political and malicious claims by MEP Borzan, who misinformed the Croatian public, claiming that the Croatian government is directly lobbying and advocating that the EU abandons binding goals to reduce the use of chemical pesticides in food production while failing to admit Croatia’s achievements at the EU level and is acting against Croatia’s vital interests.”

Borzan’s office in the European Parliament issued a statement earlier on Wednesday, claiming that the Ministry of Agriculture is lobbying in Brussels for the EU to abandon the motion to reduce the use of chemical pesticides in food production. This is obvious in a letter sent on 16 March 2022 to the European Council, which has also been signed by the Croatian government, the statement said.

The ministry further said that along with Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Austria, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia, Croatia supported Poland’s communication expressing concern over the EU’s target of reducing the use of plant protection products by having member states reduce their use by 50% at the national level, emphasising the need to take into account individual differences between member states.

During a meeting of the AGRIFISH Council in March, the same information was verbally supported by Cyprus, Portugal, Finland, Greece, Ireland, and the Netherlands expressing their understanding.

The joint document, the ministry explained, does not challenge the EU’s Field to Table strategy but emphasises that its goal must be achieved by taking into account the differences in the amount of active substance used per hectare of agricultural land and the already achieved results by each member state.

The goals of reducing the use of pesticides should not lead to a reduction in agricultural production, which could jeopardise the EU’s food security and increase dependence on food imports, the ministry said.

If MEP Borzan believes that the same rules should apply to Croatia, which uses less than half the pesticides per hectare than the European average, she either does not understand the issue or is knowingly working against the interests of Croatian farmers and Croatian food production, the ministry said.

These claims are in line with previously adopted national positions or the positions of EU institutions, and this position by the government was discussed in the Croatian Sabor and supported by the parliamentary committees on agriculture, environment and European affairs, given that Croatia uses half the amount of pesticides, (1.04 kg/ha) compared to the EU average (2.05 kg/ha), the statement said.

The ministry also recalled that in its conclusions of October 2020, the Council of the EU said on behalf of all members that the success already achieved towards the EU’s common goals should be taken into account as well as the different starting points, circumstances and conditions of each member state.

The ministry resolutely rejects claims that Croatia is opposed to sustainable pesticide use and environmental goals, especially given that Croatia is above the EU average in many environmental indicators and an example to other member states.

According to the ministry, it has been implementing and financing measures for many years to improve the environmental sustainability of agricultural production, and in accordance with national and EU goals, it is always ready to make an even greater step forward.