Seasonal workers from the European Union will be allowed to come to work in France subject to an employment contract and compliance with health protection measures in the face of the coronavirus epidemic, Didier Guillaume announced on Tuesday.
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" French agriculture needs a lot of seasonal labor, it was 40,000 to 50,000 employees in April, it's 100,000 from this month and it's a real problem ", stressed the French Minister of Agriculture during questions to the government in the National Assembly. " In the coming days, the foreign workforce will be able to be there with security guarantees that will allow French agriculture to develop and sell its products, " he announced. “ The Prime Minister arbitrated this yesterday (Monday) and the instruction will be public tomorrow (Wednesday). "
A request from the main agricultural union
Subject to the issue of health prevention, " a guide to good practice for work and a guide to good practice for accommodation will be put in place, " he added. " Subject to these reservations, there will be the possibility for foreign workers in the European Union to come to France to work if they have an employment contract ".
This announcement was a request from the FNSEA, the main agricultural union, which had called on the executive to authorize as of May 11, the date of the start of progressive deconfinement, to let European seasonal workers enter its soil. As the melon and stone fruit harvests approach, the stakes are high for French farmers who depend heavily on foreign workers who, according to the FNSEA, represent between a third and a half of the workforce seasonal "agricultural in France.
