Egalim law, CAP aid, pesticides, Jordan Bardella… we summarize Gabriel Attal's statements on the agricultural crisis

Gabriel Attal spoke for an hour. AFP POOL – ALAIN JOCARD/POOL

This Wednesday, February 21, 2024, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal gave a press conference to respond to the anger of farmers. Accompanied by ministers Bruno Le Marie, Marc Fesneau and Christophe Béchu, he made a series of declarations to calm the situation three days before the Agricultural Show.

Three days before the Agricultural Show, the government is under pressure. Gabriel Attal, accompanied by the Ministers of Economy, Agriculture and Ecological Transition, spoke for an hour from Matignon. < /p>

Gabriel describes the agricultural crisis as "a cry that comes from far away, and behind this cry there is above all a call for action. action". The Prime Minister understands that this anger calls for several measures allowing generational renewal and above all the independence and sovereignty of the sector. "Sovereignty is our course", he insisted.

A new Egalim law this summer

A text will be examined in the Senate on March 12, for a deliberation of the agricultural orientation law in mid-April, indicated the Prime Minister. A new Egalim law will also be presented this summer. Deputies Alexis Izard (Renaissance) and Anne-Laure Babault (MoDem) have been entrusted with this parliamentary mission. 

"Very concretely, we must move forward on three issues", explains the head of government, namely < em>"the construction of the price", "the place of production cost indicators" and "European purchasing centers".

Online during the day will be published the 62 commitments that the government is making to place agriculture "at the rank of fundamental interests" of the country. "100% of construction sites" have already and already been open, poses the minister. "In three weeks, we have achieved 8 commitments out of 10" he congratulates himself.

CAP aid

"Helping farmers means allowing them to receive CAP aid"& nbsp;, notes the minister, who also emphasizes that 99.6% of basic aid has already been paid. All of this aid will be paid by March 15, he pledges.< /p>

Also read:From 9.5 billion to 35 million euros: how much do the countries of the European Union receive under the CAP ?

Support and promote the profession

A "solutions conference" will be held soon on collective catering. It will associate "the State and local authorities" and will be "meeted by ministers" by April.

Concerning unfair competition, Gabriel Attal set a framework: "If it's forbidden for our farmers, it must not enter our homes. 

By April, a bill aimed at limiting neighborhood conflictsin the agricultural world will be adopted. The government also wants to simplify the rules concerning hedges with the development of a single control.

In Occitania: measures for the wine industry

Aware of the difficulties facing the wine industry in the region, the Prime Minister announces "subsidized loans"  already launched by banks for players in the sector. 

"This is why, in addition to the emergency fund set up by the State, we requested the mobilization of banks. They responded to our call. And this Monday, the banks, in particular Crédit Agricole which I want to salute, launched subsidized loans to support the wine industry in Occitanie", detailed Gabriel Attal.

Also read: Anger of farmers: what to remember from Marc Fesneau's announcements to help Occitanie wine growers

To the Economy: tracking down fraud

"For the respect of economic public order", the Minister of l' Economy Bruno Le Maire will mobilize 250 agents from the DGCCRF in order to increase controls targeting manufacturers and supermarkets. 1,400 checks were carried out in the last two weeks.

Several noted non-compliance (non-compliance with deadlines, delays in contracts), specifies the minister, deploring that the Egalim law is not always respected. On  "10,000 checks" on "the'origin France" carried out, 372 did not comply with regulations. 

To Agriculture: French sovereignty and European discussions

"Obviously, European issues are important subjects for the agricultural world", noted Marc Fesneau. Soon, a "council specially assembled for these questions" < /em>will bring together several ministers of Agriculture. The aim will be to discuss three main points: the CAP, controls and exemptions in the face of climatic events.