Jurisdiction for provinces
Legislative proposal on livestock-dense areas published
The bill for livestock-dense areas was published on the internet this afternoon, April 11th. The proposal should help to take measures in areas with a high livestock density. This mainly concerns areas where extensive livestock farming has negative consequences for the quality of the living environment.
The new law should give the provinces the power to set a limit to the size of livestock farming for certain areas. This approach may differ from region to region. The law is also intended to improve the living environment for residents in livestock-dense areas.
Living environment and livestock farms
The provinces are given the opportunity to draw up a program ''living environment and livestock farming'' for a specific area. This program includes objectives related to the quality of the living environment.
An example of this is the maximum size of the number of animals or the number of livestock farms in a certain area. These measures must ensure a safe and healthy living environment with good environmental quality. In order to achieve the objectives of the program, provinces can impose restrictions and conditions on livestock farmers.
The effects of the scheme
These measures mainly affect livestock farmers. However, the desired measures and regulations can also create regulatory pressure and implementation costs at provincial level. The size of those burdens, in particular for the business community and the province, depends on the way in which the provinces flesh out and shape the measures.
Introduction of the Environmental Act
The livestock-dense areas bill anticipates the introduction of the Environment Act. This is one law that must combine all laws in the field of living environment. If all goes well, the Environment Act should start in 2019.
If the livestock-dense areas bill is approved, it will also be included in the regulations of the Environment Act.
Internet consultation
The internet consultation takes place to give interested parties the opportunity to express a reaction to the bill. At the end of June there will be an administrative consultation with VNG and IPO about the results of this consultation. After that, it will be discussed in the cabinet whether the bill can be submitted to the Council of State.
De internet consultation runs until May 23, 2017.
Kimberly Baker
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