Overview
- The National Assembly began intensive examination of the emergency agricultural bill on Tuesday May 19, with deputies facing roughly 2,200 amendments and marathon debates that are expected to continue into late May and early June.
- A central water measure removes the requirement for public meetings in environmental authorisations for agricultural storage works and boosts prefect powers, a change designed to speed construction of reservoirs but opposed by environmental groups and reserve managers.
- The text would let the government use ordonnances to create a special environmental authorisation regime for livestock buildings, a move supporters say cuts red tape and critics warn would encourage large industrial farms.
- On pesticides the bill gives the state new tools to block imports of foodstuffs with residues of pesticides banned in the EU and leaves open parliamentary pressure to reintroduce acetamiprid through amendments.
- Lawmakers added a provision in committee to allow defence and scaring shots at wolves in reserves and national parks except park cores, a step made legally easier by the EU’s May downgrade of the wolf’s protection and now challenged by NGOs and park authorities; the Senate and further votes could revive or reshape disputed articles.