Commission criticised over ‘harmful’ subsidies

Green groups attack Commission over delay to phase-out of subsidies that damage the environment.

The European Commission has been sharply criticised for stalling on the phase-out of subsidies that damage the environment. 

“The European Commission has failed to live up to its own commitments…by not publishing the roadmap for the reform of environmentally harmful subsidies,” according to a wide coalition of green and transparency groups, in a letter sent today (17 March) to European Commission President José Manuel Barroso.

Roadmap for action

The EU’s 2006 “sustainable development strategy” gave the Commission until 2008 to draw up a roadmap for action. Last year, MEPs and environment ministers urged the Commission to publish the roadmap, but it has still not been seen.

The 91 signatories are targeting agriculture payments that support soil-eroding, water-depleting farming; fishing subsidies that help crews to build more powerful boats and deplete stocks; and EU competition rules that permit governments to subsidise coal plants.

Markus Knigge at the Pew Environment Group said that without action, taxpayers’ money would continue to be “wasted” on environmentally-damaging subsidies. “There is no excuse,” he said. Ariel Brunner of Birdlife International said: “Actively spending money to harm society is the most obvious absurdity.”

The signatories to the letter contest Commission suggestions that the European Fisheries Fund does not allow environmentally-damaging subsidies: according to fishsubsidy.org, in 1994-2006, 36 boats convicted of breaking EU law netted €13.5 million in public money.

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