After a European court decision deeming the derogations for these substances toxic to bees illegal, the French Minister of Agriculture Marc Fesneau announced on Monday that he was abandoning a derogatory measure authorizing the use of neonicotinoid insecticides to protect beet seeds. sugar canes.
The French government is giving up authorizing neonicotinoid insecticides in 2023. These “bee-killing” insecticides coat the seeds of sugar beets to protect them from jaundice. They have been banned in the European Union since 2018 because they are very dangerous for the environment. To continue to authorize them, France had been requesting derogations since 2020.
But last Thursday January 19, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled ” Member States cannot derogate from the prohibitions “.
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Under pressure from justice, Marc Fesneau, Minister of Agriculture, therefore announced Monday, January 23 to give up neonicotinoids, regretting not having had enough time to find alternatives to protect beets.
” We will not ask for a third year of derogation on the coating of beet seeds. It’s over “, he said during a press briefing.
Looking for alternatives
France was preparing to authorize their use in a derogatory manner once again for the 2023 campaign. A draft order authorizing this derogation was in public consultation in France, pending the opinion of the neonicotinoid supervisory board, boycotted by a association and an agricultural union who considered the systematic use of these insecticides unjustified.
” Second element: we have to find alternatives, continued the minister. I remind you that we put 20 million euros, that we continue, that we are ready to accelerate on a certain number of processes. There are insecticides that exist that are not neonicotinoids at all. So we have to try to look at the products that could be used today and what technical route we can take to make it work better. We try all the solutions that can help stabilize 2023. »
Support for the sector
A dozen countries maintain exemptions to preserve sugar beet yields.
” Third element, if we intended to ask the supervisory board for an exemption, it is because there is a risk of jaundice. I agreed with the representatives of the sector that we would put in place a system that would cover the risk of losses that would be linked to jaundice, while we find the alternatives we need, specified Marc Fesneau. Fourth element, we will activate the safeguard clauses at European level to ensure that there is no unfair competition. The beet sector in France is an absolutely important element of sovereignty. And so we will do what is necessary in terms of finding alternatives, resources, which have already been done elsewhere, covered by the State, so that this sector passes the one, two or three years that are in front of us. »
(And with AFP)