Overview
- The Senate began public debate on the emergency agricultural bill on June 29 and has moved to reintroduce time-limited, filière-specific derogations for the insecticides acetamiprid and flupyradifurone.
- Ecological Transition Minister Monique Barbut has publicly rejected the pesticide derogations and the government says it will file amendments to remove several Senate additions, while Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard has expressed unease.
- Senators also eased rules to speed construction of water storage, including loosening environmental requirements for works in wetlands, expanding prefect powers, and setting an objective to double storage capacity by 2035.
- The text expands powers for livestock defence by removing prior authorisation for defensive shootings, allowing night and thermal sights, and raises penalties for thefts and damage at agricultural sites to up to five years in prison and €75,000 fines.
- About 1,000 amendments have been tabled and a commission mixte paritaire is due in mid-July to reconcile the Senate and National Assembly versions, with strong political splits and environmental groups warning of risks to biodiversity and public health; the Conseil constitutionnel earlier partially censured related measures, adding legal caution.