"A prime example"

Nature conservation: Chancellor opposes EU rules

"Austria is a model country when it comes to protecting our nature and environment," says the Federal Chancellor.(Bild: AP)

Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) makes it clear to krone.at that he has very little to do with the new EU regulation on so-called renaturation.

"Austria is a model country when it comes to protecting our nature and environment," says the Federal Chancellor, and we want to stay that way - but we don't need "completely excessive regulations" to achieve this. Instead, Nehammer sees this as a "prime example of over-regulation from Brussels".

That won't happen with me.

Karl Nehammer (ÖVP)

The regulation does not take regional circumstances into account. We will not agree to this regulation "out of responsibility for Austria", he says.

"Austria is a model country when it comes to protecting our nature and environment," says the Federal Chancellor.(Bild: AP)

Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) believes that the EU regulation should be "approached".(Bild: Georg Hochmuth)

Blockade by the federal states crumbled
The background to the clear rejection is probably also the latest demand on the subject from Vienna. Following his call last Friday to "come closer to the EU renaturation regulation now on the table", Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) once again campaigned for the issue on Wednesday. With the help of Carinthia, Ludwig had previously managed to make the resistance of some federal states crumble.

Once again nothing: Environment Minister Gewessler probably fails once again because of her coalition partner.(Bild: APA/Tobias Steinmaurer)

Gewessler also in favor
According to EU circles, the necessary qualified majority of EU member states would have been achieved with Austria's approval and could be put to the vote again in this case - but with Karl Nehammer this will not happen. This is also likely to disappoint the Green coalition partner, as Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler had also spoken out in favor of "making Austrian approval possible".

EU restoration law

The planned "Nature Restoration Law" provides for more forests to be reforested, moors to be rewetted and rivers to be restored to their natural state.

The environmental protection organization WWF recently put it in dramatic terms: the blockade of the EU law is "technically untenable": it is not only dangerous for climate protection, but also for "food security in Europe". A "real risk" for this is above all the unbridled consumption of land through building development.