Judge Nixes Exemption for Neonicotinoid Acetamiprid Use

In a recent development, the French Constitutional Court has struck down parts of an agriculture law, known as the Loi Duplomb, which aimed to introduce simplifications for agriculture, including the construction of water storage facilities.

The controversial provision in question concerns the insecticide Acetamiprid. The decision has caused a divide in politics and among farmers, with some welcoming the ruling and others criticising it.

Coordination Rurale (CR), a smaller farming association, reacted strongly against the decision, claiming it overlooks the reality of French farmers in favour of a "green ideology." On the other hand, FranceNatureEnvironnement (FNE), the environmental umbrella organization, welcomed the Constitutional Court's decision, calling it a "pleasant surprise."

The controversy over Acetamiprid has been ongoing. The French Constitutional Court decided that a blanket relaxation of the application ban on Acetamiprid violates the French Constitution. This ruling follows a petition against the law that collected more than 2.1 million signatures.

Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard has criticized the provision of Article 2 on the use of Acetamiprid in the Loi Duplomb. If more than 500,000 signatures are submitted for a petition against a law, a public debate in the lower house is planned. Genevard announced that she would continue to work with the European Commission to ensure that approval decisions for chemical plant protection are made at the European level and not at the national level.

Despite the setback, the associations believe that while the decision of the Constitutional Court leaves some sectors in a dead end, the law will make progress in tackling central challenges. President Emmanuel Macron announced that he would carefully examine the ruling of the Constitutional Court, but would still enforce the law. The French Farmers' Union (FNSEA) and the Young Farmers' Organization (JA) have appealed to Macron to implement the Loi Duplomb as soon as possible.

This decision marks a significant step in the ongoing debate over the regulation of pesticides in France and the European Union. While the future of the Loi Duplomb remains uncertain, the issue of pesticide regulation continues to be a contentious topic in French and European politics.