Macron Signs Off: Controversial Pesticide Ban Officially Enacted in France

Kokcha News Agency: French President Emmanuel Macron has signed into law a ban on the controversial pesticide acetamiprid, which has been linked to bee deaths. The law, known as the “Duplomb Law,” was introduced after a student-led petition signed by over two million people and passed in a divided parliament in July.

The Constitutional Council of France ruled that acetamiprid poses a risk to human health and violates the “right to a balanced and healthy life” guaranteed under the country’s environmental conditions, leading to the annulment of the provision allowing its reuse.

This pesticide has been banned in France since 2018 but remains legal across the European Union. Supporters of the pesticide argue that its use is necessary for the competitiveness of French farmers.

Farmers’ Unions React:
Farmers’ unions have expressed strong opposition to the decision, while supporters of the petition stated that their goal was not only to address environmental concerns but also to voice their frustration against political gridlock.

Macron quickly moved to enact the law after the decision, rejecting further parliamentary debate. Health Minister Yannick Neuder has called for a reevaluation of acetamiprid’s effects on human health at the EU level.