Lausunto

MTK:n vastaukset komission konsultaatio: European Green Deal – Just Transition Fund

11.03.2020

The Green Deal proposed by the EU Commission contains a wide range of climate actions. Quite a many of those presents new demands on the agriculture and forestry climate policy, while at the same time both the overall level of the EU financial framework for several years and the financial share of agriculture are threatened with cuts. The Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners of Finland (MTK) stresses the importance of the EU securing a strong agricultural budget.

JTF is a new fund and MTK demands that no new funds are made if the EU’s old responsibilities are not taken care of at the same time. The EU Green Deal is a step in the right direction in an effort to clarify the currently muddled and ineffectual environmental and climate policy. However, it fails to take account of the fact that the agriculture of Finland and the entire EU is currently driven up a blind alley in the grip of increasingly tight demands and funding cuts. Despite this, agricultural entrepreneurs are committed to the European agriculture model, with the goal of most sustainable production in the world. MTK stresses that if the Commission fails to pay serious attention to sufficient rural finance and the social and economic fairness to rural regions of the new climate and environmental measures, there is an increasing risk that the reforms will end in failure.

The just transition fund is not directly aimed to agriculture and forestry, but it may have big influences for those sectors and rural areas. MTK has proposed that the EU should be drafting a new Rural Deal as part of the Green Deal. The new deal should provide solutions and additional funding for agriculture and forestry, climate and environmental actions to further bioeconomy and circular economy based on the sector, and deployment of new innovations.

MTK supports JTF, but demands careful preparation when country specific JTF areas and criterium are finalized. For example, Finland’s share from JTF comes partly from peat production. The aim in JTF is to decrease energy peat production. However, in coming months the EU must secure that also in the future the member states are allowed to produce peat for other purposes such as animal health (bedding), growthsurface in horticulture and new innovations such as activated carbon.

In commission country report Finland 2020 were given investment guidance on JTF for Finland. Guidance tells that East and North Finland appears to be the most affected region by transition from peat. These regions are also the main cohesion policy areas in Finland. However, JTF should also be in use in other peat producing areas in western Finland. With the aid of new financial instruments, JTF as a part of Rural Deal would help to create a pathway covering the different sectors for developing and regenerating rural areas that are ecologically, economically and socially sustainable, as well as offering young people opportunities for a good life in a variety of occupations.