French court vetoes return of controversial pesticide in farming law

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PARIS (Reuters) -France’s constitutional court on Thursday blocked the re-introduction of a pesticide accused of harming bees, in the latest twist in a fierce political battle in the European Union’s biggest agricultural producer.

The court said the re-authorisation of acetamiprid, part of the neonicotinoid group of pesticides banned in France, as proposed under a farming bill passed last month did not provide sufficient safeguards on the use of the crop chemical.

The planned relaxation of France’s neonicotinoid ban fuelled opposition to the legislation, with a petition against it gathering over 2 million signatures, a record for a petition on the website of France’s National Assembly.

The court’s ruling is a setback for supporters, including most of France’s farming unions and conservative politicians, including Senator Laurent Duplomb who gave his name to the bill.

They had argued that acetamiprid is authorised elsewhere in Europe, as it does not pose the same risks as other neonicotinoids banned at EU level, and without it crops like sugar beets and hazelnuts face severe disease losses.

However, the FNSEA and JA, two of France’s main farmer unions, welcomed the court’s approval of most of the legislation, including steps to simplify planning permission for livestock buildings and water reservoirs for irrigation.

French President Emmanuel Macron, whose centrist allies in parliament were divided over the legislation, would sign the bill into law “as soon as possible” in line with the court’s decision, the Elysee said.

(Reporting by Gus Trompiz; additional reporting by Michel Rose; Editing by Leslie Adler)