MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the health and lives of people living near farms
21.6.2023
Martin Buschmann, Ignazio Corrao, Malte Gallee, Francisco Guerreiro, Anja Hazekamp, Katrin Langensiepen, Jiri Pospisil, Eugenia Rodriguez Palop, Sylwia Spurek
B9‑0306/2023
Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the health and lives of people living near farms
The European Parliament,
– having regard to Rule 143 of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the operation of livestock holdings violates the rights to health, to a clean environment and to family life of people living in rural areas;
B. whereas odour emissions have a toxic effect on human health and life, livestock farm operations produce hydrogen sulphide, and 90% of ammonia in Europe comes from livestock holdings;
C. whereas farms are a source of bacteria and viruses that pose a threat to humans, and most infectious diseases are zoonotic in nature;
D. whereas farms emit high concentrations of particulate matter;
E. whereas the livestock sector is responsible for 73% of agricultural water pollution;
1. Calls on the Commission to update EU legislation on: the distance of farms from places where people live and work, and the concentration of farms;
2. Calls on the Commission to strengthen monitoring of the implementation and application of the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC and Directive 91/676/EEC concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources in the Member States;
3. Calls on the Commission to urgently propose an amendment to Directive 2016/2284 on the reduction of national emissions of certain atmospheric pollutants in order to set emission reduction targets, including for ammonia produced by farms, necessary to guarantee the rights to health, a clean environment and family life.