The agricultural revolt continues to be full, despite initial announcements last week and this Tuesday.
While the convoy to Rungis has temporarily withdrawn to Loir-et-Cher, major roads remain blocked throughout the country this Thursday, particularly in the Paris region or around Lyon.
Rural Coordination also suggests that farmers gather this Thursday afternoon in front of the National Assembly, when several hundred tractors are in Brussels (Belgium) where Emmanuel Macron is.
In this context, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal held a press conference at midday this Thursday in Matignon after consulting the unions this Wednesday.
He was accompanied by the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire, that of Agriculture Marc Fesneau and that of the Ecological Transition Christophe Béchu.
“Have we responded to the discomfort?
Obviously not.
Did we make mistakes?
Obviously yes,” recognized Gabriel Attal in the preamble.
“Some of these measures have a cost, but it is above all an investment,” the Matignon tenant later added.
Here's what to remember from his announcements.
Inclusion of the objective of food sovereignty in the law
Gabriel Attal announced his desire to include the objective of food sovereignty in the law.
“We want to be sovereign, sovereign to cultivate.
Sovereigns to reap.
Sovereigns to feed us,” insisted the Prime Minister.
He intends to work together with farmers to achieve this objective.
He also indicated that he wanted to include agriculture as a “fundamental interest of the nation” in the rural code.
“We will do it with farmers on the basis of clear indicators defined with them.
We will enshrine agriculture as a fundamental interest of the nation in the rural code,” explained the head of government.
Support of 150 million euros for breeders
Gabriel Attal announced that social and fiscal support amounting to 150 million euros would be devoted to breeders.
“Starting this year and in the long term,” detailed the Prime Minister.
The modalities must still be detailed in agreement with the sector.
Ban on the importation of fruits and vegetables treated with thiacloprid
“I have decided to immediately take a safeguard clause which prohibits imports treated with thiacloprid,” announced Gabriel Attal.
The use of this pesticide has been banned in the European Union since 2019. “There must be no product banned in France while it is authorized elsewhere in Europe,” says the Prime Minister.
The Ecophyto plan, the aim of which is to reduce the use of pesticides, will be “paused”, detailed the Minister of Agriculture Marc Fesneau.
“Time to rework a certain number of aspects, to simplify it,” explained Marc Fesneau.
Gabriel Attal had spoken earlier about the establishment of a “new indicator”.
Strengthening of the Egalim law
“We are going to strengthen the Egalim law” to protect farmers’ remuneration, the Prime Minister also confirmed.
“The income of our farmers is the dignity of our farmers,” he said.
The first two laws known as Egalim 1 and 2, adopted in 2018 and 2021, aimed to prevent producers from bearing the brunt of the fierce price war between supermarkets on the one hand, and distributors and suppliers of the agro-industry on the one hand. 'somewhere else.
The Minister of the Economy announced that “all major supermarket chains” would be controlled “without exception” to ensure compliance with the Egalim law.
Distributor brands will also be affected by these controls.
Likewise, 10,000 checks will be put in place on the “French origin of products”.
Sanctions could go up to “10% of the turnover of manufacturers or distributors who have committed fraud”.
“I asked the fraud repression department to control purchasing centers and sanction distributors when French law is not respected,” added Bruno Le Maire.
Ukrainian products
Gabriel Attal wants imports from Ukraine to be limited.
“On Ukraine, as I said, we are moving forward with the creation of safeguard clauses, particularly on poultry.
We will have to address the issue of cereals as part of the negotiations that are opening,” he said.
The European Union has not included cereals among the “sensitive” products on which imports can be limited.
“We have a duty of solidarity with Ukraine, which is experiencing a dramatic war.
But it is clear that the unconditional and unlimited opening has led to the destabilization of certain sectors,” added the Minister of Agriculture Marc Fesneau.