French deputies approved, Thursday, May 16, an article of the agricultural bill which plans to give agriculture a “ of major general interest », a legal innovation supposed to respond to a request from farmers, but whose scope is contested by opposition.
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This commitment to confer on theagriculture a character “ of major general interest ”, had been taken by Emmanuel Macron at the 2024 Agriculture Show, while farmers’ anger was in full swing. “ On a legal level, this positions agriculture in balance with the environment », had then approved Arnaud Rousseau, president of the FNSEA, the first agricultural union in the country. “ The protection, enhancement and development of agriculture and fishing are of major general interest as they guarantee the agricultural and food sovereignty of the Nation, which contributes to the defense of its fundamental interests. ”, states this key article of the bill.
“ Illusion »
“ This will produce, in the long term, effects in the way in which different public policy objectives can be weighted, and in the way in which, on the ground, agricultural projects can be evaluated, carried out and developed. », Said the Minister of Agriculture Marc Fesneau. Several deputies – like lawyers – however doubt the scope of the text. The measure “ creates the fantasy of calling into question the environmental charter ” And ” gives the illusion to the peasant world that we have responded in a demagogic way to all these expectations of being above the rest of the norms, of the law », castigated Dominique Potier (PS).
Nicole Le Peih, Renaissance rapporteur, actually admitted that it was a “ legal innovation ” who does not “ does not modify the hierarchy of standards ” in the country. “ There is no questioning of the constitutional principle of environmental protection ” but “ when several legislative provisions are present, or even contradictory, agriculture will henceforth be the subject of specific attention “, she nevertheless maintained.
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The approved article of law also proposes a long definition of France’s food and agricultural sovereignty, based in particular on its capacity to “ produce, transform and distribute » the products necessary for “ sufficient, healthy nutrition (And) safe “. It also poses the principle “ by July 1, 2025 then every ten years of a multi-annual agricultural program “.
List of best practices
The rest consists mainly of a long list of good practices that public policies are supposed to follow to ensure this “ food sovereignty “. The article above all allowed each group to put forward its vision of agriculture, and the presidential camp to play the co-construction card. It therefore integrated certain objectives proposed by Les Républicains (justify and evaluate overtranspositions before implementing them, promote women farmers) or the left (improve the working conditions of farmers, develop health prevention).
But the article “ has no normative value » and does not bring “ no constraints », lamented Sébastien Jumel (PCF). Aurélie Trouvé (LFI), denounced the absence of measures for “ floor prices “. “ It’s a caricature », retorted Henri Alfandari (Horizons), believing that farmers were also asking for clarity on their missions. However, the article poses “ intentions that encourage », says Julien Dive (LR). The RN deputies castigated the lack of support for their amendments.
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