Lois Egalim: “I have never had my arm tremble to protect the smallest producers,” says Bruno Le Maire

This is one of the reasons for the farmers’ anger. Those who have been demonstrating and blocking the roads for several days are demanding better remuneration and compliance with Egalim laws by distributors. The Egalim laws, passed in 2018, 2021 and 2023, were to allow “farmers to have a dignified income by better distributing value”, we can read on the website of the Ministry of Agriculture.

“I have already imposed sanctions against Leclerc”

E.Leclerc, Carrefour, Système U… Several large retail brands are singled out by farmers for their supply via European purchasing centers allowing them to circumvent French law. “I have already imposed sanctions against Leclerc of more than six million euros,” said Bruno Le Maire, Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, guest of La Grande interview Europe 1-CNews Wednesday, who recognized this practice by distributors and assured not to hesitate to “control and firmly sanction” those who do not respect the law.

“I don’t want farmers’ income to be the adjustment variable in trade negotiations”

“The Egalim law applies to all distributors and applies to European purchasing centers. So, I will launch specific controls on European purchasing centers to ensure that there are no circumvention by these European purchasing centers of the rules of the Egalim law, that is to say the protection of farmers’ income. I do not want farmers’ income to be the adjustment variable in commercial negotiations”, said he added, specifying that 500 checks on the five major distributors will also be launched.

At the microphone of Sonia Mabrouk, the Minister of the Economy affirmed that he did not wait for these blockages to take sanctions against those who do not respect the law. “I have never had an arm that trembles to enforce the rule and to protect the smallest producers,” he concluded.