Relevant Matter
Legislation
Public Policy Area
EU Affairs
Period
1 May, 2023 to 31 Aug, 2023
Specific Details
Industrial Emissions Directive (IED)
Intended results
To highlight to the European Commission that it's proposal to revise the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED), if not properly contrasted, could lead to a disruptive reduction in the incomes of our farmers and likely force the closure of many medium/small sized livestock farms, undermining our food security within the EU.
To highlight that the consequent increase in the dependence on imports of animal products from third countries, which have environmental, food safety, and animal welfare standards much lower than those imposed on EU farmers will also have detrimental effects on overall food security.
To highlight how this completely undermines the efforts which our Irish and EU farmers have gone to as we know that even presently, the standards of many farms in third countries are much lower than we are obliged to adhere to today.
To emphasise that this would go against the EU recent policy developments when it comes to reciprocity in international trade, increasing the gap between EU and international trade partners.
To highlight that the formulation of the proposal is totally inadequate and unacceptable with respect to the European productive reality. In fact, equating livestock farms, even of small/medium size, with industrial activities, is unfair and misleading with respect to the role they play in the environmental balance and food safety/food security in Europe.
To stress that, above all, the result of an impact assessment based on inaccurate and old figures, and of an ideological approach that needs to be stigmatized also because it could have negative impacts on the environment, by reducing grassland areas (loss of biodiversity & landscapes, threatening the vitality of rural areas, etc.).
To highlight that the only possible option is to preserve the status quo in relation to the scope of the Directive, in order to maintain the current regulatory framework with the elimination of the bovine sector from the scope of the Directive and the restoration of the current thresholds established for the poultry sector (starting from 40,000 places for all poultry) and pigs (production pigs weighing over 30kg starting from 2,000 places; sows starting from 750 places).
- This solution would recognize the efforts that farmers are making to increase the sustainability of their farms, which, on a global scale, already the ones record the best performances in terms of environmental impact and climate change mitigation.
- From an Irish perspective the Commission proposal to exclude farmers with a grazing stocking rate less than 2LU/ha is inadequate and insufficient to recognise the current grazing practices on Irish livestock farms. The progress achieved must not be frustrated and stopped.
To emphasise that speeding up the process towards a common position in the Council is not coherent with the timescales that are emerging in the internal discussions in the European Parliament. IFA stay confident of your support to avoid jeopardising the European beef, dairy, pig and poultry sectors.
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Tim Cullinan IFA President, Roy Gallie IFA Pig Chair, Liam MacHale IFA Director of European Affairs, Sarah Hanley IFA Policy Executive, Eamon Meade IFA Meath Livestock Chair
Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?)
No
Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign?
No
Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client?
No
Lobbying activity
The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.
Informal communication (2-5)
Designated public officials lobbied
The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them.
As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.
Barry Andrews
MEP (European Parliament)
Billy Kelleher
MEP (European Parliament)
Chris MacManus
MEP (European Parliament)
Ciarán Cuffe
MEP (European Parliament)
Claire Kerrane
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Clare Daly
MEP (European Parliament)
Colm Markey
MEP (European Parliament)
Deirdre Clune
MEP (European Parliament)
Frances Fitzgerald
MEP (European Parliament)
Grace O'Sullivan
MEP (European Parliament)
Luke Ming Flanagan
MEP (European Parliament)
Maria Walsh
MEP (European Parliament)
Mick Wallace
MEP (European Parliament)
Sean Kelly
MEP (European Parliament)