Since the appointment of Minister Annie Genevard in France, the policy on crop protection products has been relaxed. Stricter rules are being abolished as much as possible nationally and farmers must always have access to protective equipment. This policy is widely supported by parliament and is in line with the desire to make French agriculture more competitive, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.
For many years, France had stricter standards for the use of crop protection products than the European Union. This disadvantaged French farmers, as other EU member states had less strict policies. In France, insufficient crop protection led to yield losses. The focus is now on food sovereignty: less imports and more domestic production, including for the lower market segment. The government wants to increase productivity and create a level playing field for French farmers.
Accelerated admission
The French government is introducing 'priority application', so that crucial products are approved more quickly. Anses, the French body that approves crop protection products, must speed up approval procedures and align them with the cultivation cycle. The separation between sales and advice is also being lifted, so that cooperatives and traders can give advice again. Manufacturers remain excluded from this to prevent conflicts of interest.
Price promotion restrictions remain
The French government remains strongly opposed to the reintroduction of discounts on crop protection products. Agriculture Minister Genevard stresses that these products are sometimes indispensable, but that they are not ordinary commercial products. Since the Egalim law came into force in 2019, such discounts have been prohibited. Some distributors have therefore adapted their range and opted more often for imported crop protection products.