In three stages. This is the tempo chosen by Gabriel Attal, whose government has been under pressure for almost two weeks following a mobilization of farmers on the ground, to unveil a battery of measures largely meeting the expectations of the National Federation of Farmers’ Unions. farmers (FNSEA). Last time, Thursday 1er February, in Matignon, orchestrated with the ministers of agriculture, ecology and the economy, made it possible to obtain the slogan of the first agricultural union, associated with the Young Farmers (JA), to lift the roadblocks on the national territory. These measures are both sectoral and general, national and European, emergency or more structural.
The renunciation of the increase in the tax on non-road diesel
The gradual increase – over six years – of the tax on non-road diesel (GNR), which came into force at the start of 2024, one of the sparks of the anger movement, has been abandoned. However, it had been negotiated with the FNSEA, but Mr. Attal stressed that the compensation system put in place did not bring anything back to the State and did not benefit the smallest farms. In addition, the discount will now be made at the pump, and not at the end of the year, and while waiting for this to be operational, in July, an envelope of 215 million euros will be released to pay an advance of 50% on reimbursements. A way to relieve the cash flow of certain operators.
400 million euros for emergency measures
To try to calm things down on the ground, the Prime Minister has drawn up a series of emergency measures for several sectors. He mentioned an envelope of 50 million euros for breeders affected by epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EMD), 20 million euros for Breton farmers affected by the storm, 50 million euros for the organic sector in crisis and 80 million euros for wine growers. To this was added 150 million euros to relieve the tax and social burden on breeders, as well as the cost of abandoning a planned increase in taxation on GNR. In total, Bercy estimates the amount of this support at 400 million euros. The government has also committed to paying the balance of aid from the common agricultural policy (CAP), for 2023, by March 15.
The EGalim law under surveillance
Non-compliance with the EGalim law, supposed to ensure a decent income, in particular for cattle breeders, was one of the demonstrators’ demands. Bruno Le Maire mentioned a strengthening of controls with manufacturers, but also with distributors, and mentioned four cases of potential sanctions. Launch of a parliamentary mission on the evaluation and development of EGalim, including the examination of the supervision of European purchasing centers, which present a risk of circumvention of the law by distributors, and expressed desire to bring the EGalim law to the European level. The State also says it is committed to enforcing the obligation to purchase quality and organic products in canteens and public orders. A part of EGalim remained a dead letter.
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