French Senate Approves Emergency Agriculture Law, Reopens Ban on Certain Pesticides

The French Senate voted 219‑111 to pass a revised version of the government’s emergency agriculture bill, easing several environmental constraints on farming. A key and controversial provision authorises derogations that would allow the limited re‑introduction of the banned pesticides acetamiprid and flupyradifurone for crops such as beet, cherry, apple and hazelnut. The measure diverges from the position of Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard, who warned of political risk and opposed the changes.

The Senate also adopted amendments strengthening the powers of the national food‑safety agency ANSES, requiring it to inform manufacturers of critical issues and to invite additional data before rejecting products, including those seeking mutual‑recognition from other EU states. The bill now heads to a mixed parliamentary committee for reconciliation with the National Assembly, where the two chambers hold differing texts.

The legislation is seen as a response to recent farmer protests and aims to give relief to French producers while sparking debate over environmental and health standards.