France has approved a bill to reintroduce two insecticides, acetamiprid and flupyradifurone, that were banned domestically in 2018 and 2019. The Senate backed the measure 214-111 after the National Assembly approved it, and Environment Minister Monique Barbut said she will resign. Critics, including Greenpeace and the French Beekeeping Union, warn of harms to bees and possible human-health risks, and the left plans to appeal to the Constitutional Council. Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard says use will be tightly restricted to emergency situations when no alternative exists.
France Approves Return Of Two Controversial Pesticides; Environment Minister to Resign
Research has found acetamiprid can poison honey bees (Ludovic MARIN)
France on Tuesday approved a contested bill to reintroduce two insecticides — acetamiprid and flupyradifurone — prompting Environment Minister Monique Barbut to announce she will resign.
Parliamentary Vote and Political Fallout
The National Assembly approved the legislation earlier in the day, and the right-leaning Senate backed the measure in the evening by 214 votes to 111. After the vote, Monique Barbut told aides she had 'no other option than to present my resignation' and intended to submit it to President Emmanuel Macron the following day.
What Supporters and Opponents Say
Proponents, including some farm groups and political allies, argue that sugar beet, apple and hazelnut growers need the insecticides to remain competitive with producers elsewhere in Europe. Both chemicals are permitted at EU level but were banned in France in 2018 and 2019 respectively.
'The government and its allies are trampling on science, health, the environment, and the will of the people,' said Greenpeace after the National Assembly passed the bill.
Henri Clement of the French Beekeeping Union called the decision 'absolutely catastrophic' for beekeepers. Research indicates acetamiprid can poison honeybees, impairing their foraging ability and memory, and a 2024 study found flupyradifurone may be lethal to some bee species. Opponents also raise concerns about potential human-health risks.
Legal Context and Next Steps
The vote follows a 2024 ruling by the Constitutional Council that struck down an earlier provision to reintroduce acetamiprid, citing potential human-health risks after more than two million people signed a petition against it. Lawmakers on the left have said they will appeal to the Constitutional Council again if the Senate's approval becomes final law.
Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard defended the bill as a response to farmers' unrest and protests this winter. She said health authorities would only authorise use in narrowly defined areas and limited periods, and only when there is an emergency, no alternatives exist, and there is no expected impact on human health or the environment.
Implications: The passage is likely to intensify legal challenges and public debate about pesticide regulation, pollinator protection and agricultural competitiveness in France. Observers say the dispute highlights broader tensions between environmental safeguards and farm-sector pressures across Europe.
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