EFTTA greatly welcomes the positive outcome of the EU Parliament plenary vote on 12 July 2023 to adopt the Nature Restoration Law, which stipulates that restoration measures be implemented by 2030 covering at least 20% of all land and sea areas in the EU.
This ambitious law contains legally-binding, time-bound and area-based targets - among other things, to restore freshwater ecosystems.
The objectives of the proposed law include the identification and removal of barriers that prevent the connectivity of surface waters, so that at least 25,000 km of rivers are restored to a free-flowing state by 2030.
EFTTA members’ businesses depend on healthy fish stocks and anglers’ access to fishing. The proposed nature restoration law can provide more of that if the European Parliament and Council agree to the high ambition level set by the EU Commission.
In April 2023 EFTTA and more than 30 other prominent businesses/business associations have published a business statement in support of the EU Commission’s proposed Nature Restoration Law.
With the approval of 12 July the Parliament is now ready to start negotiations with the Commission and the Council on the final shape of the legislation.
The final agreed text is expected before the end of the year.
