Calves in Saint-Martin-de-Varreville, in the northwest of France, April 22, 2024 (AFP/Lou BENOIST)
The Assembly begins in committee on Tuesday the substantive examination of the agricultural orientation bill, the executive’s response to peasant anger supposed to reassure future generations of farmers, but certain provisions of which worry the left and among environmental defenders.
If it aims to ensure “sovereignty in agricultural matters” and “generational renewal in agriculture”, the bill is eclectic.
It combines measures on training, transfers of farms, or even the “acceleration of litigation” in the event of appeal against water storage projects or construction of livestock buildings, despite alerts from the Council of State on “risks of constitutionality”.
The government is also seeking the right to modify by order the repression of certain environmental offenses, for example by reclassifying criminal sanctions as administrative sanctions.
The debates promise to be long: nearly 3,000 amendments have been tabled, almost half of which by the Republicans. A significant part of the proposals on phytosanitary products or agricultural taxation, however, did not pass the threshold of admissibility, because they were considered too far removed from the articles.
“We are in a context of demonstrations throughout Europe. Each group wants to provide answers”, philosophizes the president of the Economic Affairs Committee and former minister Stéphane Travert, who will lead the debates before an expected arrival in the hemicycle on May 14.
– What case law? –
Minister of Agriculture Marc Fesneau at the Elysée, April 24, 2024 (AFP/Archives/Ludovic MARIN)
In the presence of the Minister of Agriculture Marc Fesneau, the deputies will start with the biggest piece: the article which establishes “agriculture, fishing and aquaculture” as being of “major general interest”.
Simple incantatory article? Not only judges the minister’s office, which hopes that it will “feed the reflection of the administrative judge” when it has to decide a dispute around an agricultural project, when this is balanced with an ecological imperative.
“The hierarchy of standards would not be modified: environmental protection has a constitutional value whereas, even ‘major’, the general agricultural interest would only have legislative value”, says Didier Truchet, professor emeritus of Paris-Panthéon -Assas, in an analysis for Le club des juristes.
“If you want to make photovoltaic panels but it degrades food sovereignty, it’s still not bad to ask the question,” estimates a government source, according to whom “it’s jurisprudence” which will decide.
“Either we call into question the Constitution and the Environmental Charter, or we make fun of the peasant world. In either case it is not a good way,” criticizes the socialist Dominique Potier, for whom the text “achieves the feat of not treating any major or marginal subject”.
For Antoine Villedieu (RN), it “in no way meets the expectations of farmers”.
– Unions at the Élysée –
“It does everything except respond to the challenge of renewing generations,” also denounces Aurélie Trouvé (LFI). In addition to accelerating litigation, it is opposed to an article providing for conditions for investment of land capital in agricultural land. “It aims to open up land grabbing to finance,” she denounces.
Rarely, all the oppositions and even some Macronists have tabled deletion amendments. “There will be a lot of debate,” recognizes Renaissance rapporteur Pascal Lavergne, who insists: “we need to open up land financing to others than the farmer.” A rewrite will be proposed in the face of the revolt and concerns of part of the sector.
“We want a text, but not small arms,” warned LR Julien Dive, while the government is counting on votes on the right, even in the PS or Liot (independents) for adoption.
On the union side, the FNSEA is favorable to the spirit of the text but expects other measures on taxation and pesticides, requests also made on the right.
The Confédération Paysanne, the third union, criticizes the bill which “benefits the proponents of agro-industry, by strengthening their license to pollute more” and by “simplifying the expansion of farms”.
Prime Minister Gabriel Attal (center), Minister of Agriculture Marc Fesneau (left) and Secretary of State for the Sea Hervé Berville (in the background), April 27, 2024 at the Pirou Whelk Fair, in the north-west of France (AFP/Archives/DAMIEN MEYER)
Part of the convincing work is done outside the Palais Bourbon. Hoping to put the crisis behind them, Gabriel Attal announced a battery of new measures on Saturday, while Emmanuel Macron will receive the unions on Thursday at the Elysée, with Marc Fesneau.
© 2024 AFP
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