EU Environment Minister Kai Mykkänen has expressed dissatisfaction with the recent developments surrounding the Nature Restoration Regulation in the European Union. The regulation, which aims to improve the state of nature in various habitats across the EU, faced opposition from Finland last summer. Despite this, it narrowly passed the Council of Member States and was later approved with flexibilities added through tripartite negotiations. However, Hungary’s change of stance on the regulation has put its approval in jeopardy.
Despite these flexibilities, Finland has raised concerns about the interpretation of the impairment ban, particularly regarding forestry limitations and obligations to restore widely occurring habitat types. Mykkänen emphasized that trust in EU decision-making processes should be upheld, especially after reaching a trilogy agreement.
The uncertainty surrounding the fate of the restoration regulation has prompted discussions among EU environment ministers, with Finland maintaining its consistent stance on the matter. Mykkänen highlighted the need for transparency and operational reliability in the EU decision-making process, expressing disappointment in the current situation of last-minute surprises.
