Longer contracts, more transparency: the deputy of the majority Grégory Besson-Moreau has prepared a bill, consulted Thursday by AFP, which aims to revise the rules of the game of trade negotiations on food products for the benefit of farmers.
Read also: The Senate wants to correct the perverse effects of the Egalim law
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Denormandie Julien has already indicated that he supported his approach to go "
beyond
" the law Power (or Egalim) passed in 2018. The results of the latter "
are not up to the hope
”aroused in farmyards, acknowledged the minister Tuesday in the Senate, during a debate on the subject.
Egalim's ambition was to rebalance the balance of power in the annual negotiations between large-scale distribution and the agrifood industries, determining the price of products put on the shelves and on which a large part of the income of the farmers who provide the raw material (cereals, vegetables, meats, etc.) depends. etc.)
Grégory Besson-Moreau's bill, which incorporates the recommendations of the report by the former head of System U Serge Papin, provides for several provisions.
First, to make multi-year contracts "
the standard in terms of contracts for the sale of agricultural products
" between the producer and his first buyer, the industrialist who will transform the products (milling company, bakery, charcuterie, etc.).
Minimum term: three years.
"
Emergency passage the week of June 1
"
It must then increase the transparency of the purchase cost of agricultural raw materials by the industrialist and enshrine its “
non-negotiable character
” with those who will buy the processed products, the supermarkets.
Objective: that the cost of this agricultural raw material be "
excluded from commercial negotiations
" between manufacturers and mass distribution.
Grégory Besson-Moreau also proposes the creation of a committee for the settlement of commercial disputes in the event of failure of existing mediations and to make compulsory the indication of the country of origin "
for agricultural and food products for which there is a proven link between some of their properties and their origin
”.
In terms of timing, "
the objective is an emergency passage the week of June 1
" in the hemicycle, told AFP the LREM deputy of Aube, for entry into force ideally before the next trade negotiations , which take place every year.
Read also: Despite the food law, the income of farmers again at half mast
This proposal aims to "
protect the three actors
", pleaded the parliamentarian.
"
Farmers and their remuneration, of course, but also manufacturers
" who will be able to pass on the price of agricultural raw materials to buyers in mass distribution.
As for the latter, "
it will be certain that the price offered by manufacturers pays farmers well
".
