Save Bees and Farmers! Towards a Bee-Friendly Agriculture for a Healthy Environment

"Save Bees and Farmers! Towards a Bee-Friendly Agriculture for a Healthy Environment" initiative succeeded in gathering 1.05 million verified statements of support with the minimum thresholds reached in 11 Member States. Registered on 30 September 2019, the initiative started its signature collection period on the same day. It calls on the Commission to propose legal acts to phase out synthetic pesticides by 2035, to restore biodiversity, and to support farmers in the transition. The collection period was extended by one year, to 30 September 2021, to allow to address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the campaign [in line with Regulation (EU) 2020/1042, Decision C(2020) 9226, and Decision C(2021) 1121].

The objectives of the initiative are threefold:

• Phase out synthetic pesticides in EU agriculture by 80% by 2030, starting with the most hazardous, to become free of synthetic pesticides;
• Restore natural ecosystems in agricultural areas so that farming becomes a vector of biodiversity recovery; 
• Reform agriculture by prioritising small scale, diverse and sustainable farming, supporting a rapid increase in agro-ecological and organic practice and enabling independent farmer-based training and research into pesticide and GMO-free farming. 

After the signature collection phase ended, the initiative went through the verification process of the statements of support. Afterwards, it was formally submitted to the European Commission on 7 October 2022 (press announcement). The Commission published the Communication replying to this initiative on 5 April 2023.

Pan-European NGO alliance

The joining of forces of the existing NGO alliance (more than 200 NGOs across Europe), as well as the recruitment of new partners with great mobilisation power in the home stretch.

Steadfastness of partners

The steadfastness of those partners who persevered for two years despite the external difficulties and spread positive energy in every meeting.

Regular organisers meetings

Maintaining weekly video meeting with all organisers for the whole period of two years (extensions due to the pandemic).

Preparation

The organisers of the “Save Bees and Farmers!” initiative had substantial experience in organising a European citizens’ initiative as some of them successfully organised the “Stop Glyphosate” initiative which collected 1 070 865 signatures. This previous experience was beneficial for the organisers in the preparation and implementation of this new initiative.

Building a network of partners was essential to the success of this initiative. The organisers started with an inner circle of 10 NGOs from different countries and each organisation was tasked with finding other NGOs to support the initiative. Ultimately, the initiative had the support, to a varying degree, of more than 200 environmental NGOs, farmer and beekeeper organisations, charitable foundations and scientific institutions distributed throughout the European Union. However, ensuring that the NGOs actively supported the initiative was a challenge. The organisers overcame it by inviting the supporting NGOs to the regular online meetings where the organisers strategised over the campaign. The “Save Bees and Farmers!” initiative was supported by such NGOs as Bee Life, Générations Futures, Global 2000, Umweltinstitut München, Pesticide Action Network – PAN Europe, and Romapis. 

Building an online presence was also a crucial part of the initiative’s communication strategy. The organisers built a multilingual website with downloadable online supporting tools such as paper signature forms, letters for neighbours and friends, leaflets, posters, stickers and videos. The process of building the website and creating supporting tools, both with translations, was time-consuming and resulted in the organisers postponing their official collection start date by about six weeks. The organisers also built their online presence on social media: Twitter (1799 followers), Instagram (2746 followers) and Facebook (3000 followers).

Fundraising and resources

Overall, the organisers of the “Save Bees and Farmers!” initiative collected EUR 282,858 of support and funds. 

Sources of funding (€)

 Note: Further information on Save Bees and Farmers! support and funding is available on the Save Bees and Farmers! initiative page in the ECI Register. Only contributions above €500 per sponsor are required to be reported.

Campaign strategy and signature collection plan

Initially, the organisers had planned a grassroots movement to collect signatures with direct contact with citizens on the street to strengthen the movement and ‘contribute to the urgently needed social change and transition.’ Ultimately, due to the pandemic, they had to revise their strategy. 

From the outset, the “Save Bees and Farmers!” campaign decided to collect signatures from all EU countries, instead of focusing on just a few. However, the difficulties brought about by the pandemic required the organisers to rethink this strategy. The organisers managed to collect signatures in countries where they or their network partners had a strong presence. Given the transnational nature of the instrument, an active presence in many countries and the role of network partners and volunteers were pivotal for the campaign. 

Even though the organisers had originally wanted to create a strong grassroots campaign and directly talk to people, they realised that, due to the pandemic, most signatures would be collected online and not on paper. The “Save Bees and Farmers!” initiative used an individual online collection system. The pandemic and the concrete fears associated with it also pushed many people’s concerns about protecting biodiversity and the climate into the background. In the beginning, the organisers could not find a working strategy to fully overcome these obstacles. As a consequence, the collection of signatures became more difficult and slowed down. However, with the extension of the signature collection period and with the help of their network of partners, the organisers were able to overcome this obstacle.

Signature collection and verification process

Altogether, after the extension, the initiative collected 1.18 million signatures in 27 EU Member States, of which 89% were considered valid by national authorities. On 7 October 2022, the organisers submitted the certificates proving this collection of 1,054,973 verified statements of support to the European Commission. This step opened the 6-month examination period. 

Keeping the campaign alive and maintaining a high level of citizens’ interest in the initiative was crucial during the submission period. The organisers wrote numerous open letters to representatives of the Member States and the European Parliament and organised in-person meetings with them. The organisers also coordinated a press conference with IFOAM Organics Europe to promote the proposals of this initiative and discuss the progress, so far, in the reduction of pesticides. The organisers of this campaign are determined to increase these activities in the future to push for change and advancement in the reduction of pesticides in the EU. 

Number of statements of support collected by Save Bees and Farmers! per Member State

The check marks on the chart indicate the EU Member States where the minimum threshold of signatures required for supporting the initiative has been successfully met. “Save Bees and Farmers!” reached the minimum thresholds in 11 Member States. The full table with statements of support for 'Save Bees and Farmers!' is available on the Save Bees and Farmers! initiative page in the ECI Register.

Formal submission and meetings with the Commission

After the formal submission of the initiative on 7 October 2022, the organisers met with European Commissioners Věra Jourová, Vice-President for Values and Transparency, and Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, on 25 November 2022 (Press Release). On 15 December 2022, the European Economic and Social Committee issued their opinion on the initiative (see EESC Opinion).

European Parliament public hearing

On 24 January 2023, the European Parliament held a public hearing on the “Save Bees and Farmers!” Initiative (public hearing, see press release). The organisers presented the initiative objectives and engaged with the Members of the European Parliament (EP Hearing Highlights). On the same day as the public hearing, 24 January 2023, the European Commission presented ‘A New Deal for Pollinators’ to tackle the alarming decline in wild pollinating insects in Europe, revising the 2018 EU Pollinators Initiative (see press release). On 16 March 2023, the ‘Save Bees and Farmers!’ initiative was debated in a plenary session at the European Parliament (see recording).

European Commission's formal response

The European Commission adopted, on 5 April 2023, a Communication setting out its actions in response to “Save Bees and Farmers!” ECI. The European Commission welcomed the initiative and highlighted its importance as the interlinked crises of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss constitute growing challenges for Europe’s agriculture and food security. The Communication assessed each of the initiative’s proposals on its own merits (see press release). More specifically, the Commission prioritised that the proposals for a regulation on the sustainable use of pesticides and for a nature restoration law, at the moment under negotiation by the European Parliament and Council, are adopted and implemented, together with effective implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy.

In response to the Commission’s communication, the organisers endorsed the Commission’s call on co-legislators [European Parliament and Council] to find swift and ambitious agreements on its legislative proposals that will translate the citizens’ ambition into law. Additionally, the organisers encouraged the involvement of concerned citizens and scientists in the process till the goals are achieved and state that Save Bees and Farmers initiative is ‘far from over’ (see press release). Commissioner Sinkevičius and representatives of involved directorates-general presented the Commission reply to the organisers in a meeting on 25 April 2023. 

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Additional information regarding "Save Bees and Farmers" is available on the the page of this initiative in the ECI Register.

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