France petition against bee-killing pesticide tops two million backers
On July 10, a 23-year-old master's student launched a petition urging the French government to drop the law allowing the reintroduction of acetamiprid, a pesticide that is harmful to ecosystems but popular with many farmers in Europe.
Banned in France since 2018, the chemical remains legal in the European Union.
The insecticide is particularly sought after by beet and hazelnut growers, who say they have no alternative against pests and face unfair competition.
The petition on France's lower-house National Assembly's website had garnered more than 2,009,000 signatures on Monday morning.
Backers at the height of summer include 400 people from the culinary world, including Michelin-starred chefs, who have criticised the "blindness of our politicians".
According to a poll published in La Tribune Dimanche on Sunday, 64 percent of people surveyed hope Macron will not sign the bill into law but will instead submit it to a new debate in parliament.
Macron has said he is waiting to hear the verdict of the Constitutional Council, which is expected to rule on the constitutionality of the law on August 7.
The contested legislation is dubbed the Duplomb law, after its author, Laurent Duplomb, a senator for the right-wing Republicans party.
The petition reached 500,000 signatures last weekend, a threshold after which the lower house may choose to hold a public debate, but that would be limited to the content of the petition -- not the law itself.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euronews
3 hours ago
- Euronews
Von der Leyen and Trump strike EU-US deal with 15% tariff for the bloc
The European Union and the United States have struck a tentative trade deal to avert a potentially devastating tariff war between two of the world's largest economies, capping a race against time before a self-imposed deadline of 1 August. Under the agreed terms, finalised on Sunday by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump during a meeting in Scotland, the majority of EU exports bound for the American market will be subject to a 15% tariff. The tariff for US exports bound for the EU market was not immediately clear. The deal is preliminary and needs to be further fleshed out. "I think it's great we made a deal today instead of playing games," Trump said at the end of the meeting. "I think it's the biggest deal ever made." "It's a big deal. It's a huge deal," von der Leyen said. "It will bring stability, it will bring predictability. That's very important for businesses on both sides of the Atlantic." Von der Leyen noted the 15% tariff would be "across-the-board" and "all-inclusive", blocking the application of other duties. "It was tough negotiations (but) we came to a good conclusion," she said, highlighting the "openness" of the EU market, which Trump had vehemently challenged. Both leaders shook hands to applause in the room. "We were able to make a deal that's satisfactory to both sides, so it's a very powerful deal. It's the biggest of all the deals," Trump said. The 15% rate is lower than the 20% rate that Trump imposed, and later paused, in April as part of his contentious, self-styled "reciprocal tariffs", as well as the 30% rate that he threatened to slap in a letter sent to von der Leyen earlier this month. The 15% rate is also inferior to the rates that other countries have negotiated with the White House in recent days, including Indonesia (19%) and the Philippines (19%), and matches the number granted to Japan (15%), a G7 ally. Still, it represents a painful concession, considering the talks began with von der Leyen offering a "zero-for-zero" tariff agreement. Through the back-and-forth process, von der Leyen repeatedly warned that "all options", including a never-used instrument against economic coercion, were on the table in case of an undesirable scenario. As tensions mounted, the European Commission prepared several lists of retaliatory measures against US products worth €93 billion in total. Brussels never resorted to any tit-for-tat measure due to stark differences between member states. Some countries, like France and Spain, advocated a show of force against Washington, while others, like Germany and Italy, pushed for a quick deal. The ideological gap closed after Trump made his out-of-the-blue 30% threat, which prompted outrage across the bloc and hardened the mood towards retaliation. The end of the story? Before Trump's arrival disrupted transatlantic commerce, EU-made products were subject to an average tariff rate of 4.8% upon entering US territory. Sunday's deal presumably entails an additional 10% to reach the 15% mark. EU cars, which are today under a 27.5% tariff, will be brought under the 15% rate. A "zero-for-zero" scheme will apply to aircraft and related components, semiconductor equipment, critical raw materials and some chemical and agricultural products. "We will keep working to add more products to this list," von der Leyen said. Additionally, she explained, the bloc commits to spending over $250 billion per year on purchasing American liquefied natural gas (LNG), oil and nuclear fuels to replace Russian energy. The total pledge will amount to about $700 billion by the end of Trump's term. Asked about what concessions, if any, the US had made in the talks, the Commission chief replied with a general remark about shared prosperity. "The starting point was an imbalance, a surplus (of goods) on our side and a deficit on the US side. We wanted to rebalance the trade relation, and we wanted to do it in a way that trade goes on between the two of us across the Atlantic," she said. "I think it's going to be great for both parties," Trump said. Sunday's meeting in Scotland took place amid sky-high expectations due to the looming deadline of 1 August that Trump had imposed to force nations to either offer far-reaching concessions or face punishing tariffs. Von der Leyen was accompanied by Maroš Šefčovič, the European Commissioner for Trade, who has been travelling across the two sides of the Atlantic Ocean in an attempt to gain a better understanding of the White House's maximalist demands. She was also joined by her powerful chef de cabinet, Björn Seibert; her trade advisor, Tomas Baert, and the Commission's director general for trade, Sabine Weyand. In the last stretch of negotiations, von der Leyen's team had realised that 15% was the lowest number that Trump was willing to settle for. The 15% rate was considered high for the bloc but palatable if paired with carve-outs for strategic sectors. A major concern along the way has been pharmaceuticals, which the EU exports in large volumes to the American market. The White House has opened a formal investigation into pharma products, a step that can pave the way for a tailor-made tariff. At the start of the meeting, Trump said pharma would be excluded from the deal. "We have to have them built and made in the United States, and we want them made in the United States," Trump told reporters. "Pharmaceuticals are very special. We can't be in a position where (...) we're relying on other countries." At the end of the meeting, von der Leyen said EU-made drugs would fall under the 15% rate but admitted Trump could take further action to address the matter "globally". "15% is certainly a challenge for some, but we should not forget that it keeps us access to the American market," she admitted, noting the bloc would continue to diversify its trade partners to create greater opportunities for European exporters and investors. The saga might soon take another twist: next week, a federal appeals court in the US will begin hearing arguments in a closely-watched lawsuit challenging Trump's authority to slap across-the-board tariffs under the pretext of a national emergency. This article has been updated with more information.
France 24
6 hours ago
- France 24
Calls for two-state solution for Israel, Palestinians at UN grow louder
There is no alternative to a two-state solution between Israelis and the Palestinians, France told a UN conference co-chaired with Saudi Arabia Monday that was boycotted by Israel and branded a stunt by Washington. "Only a political, two-state solution will help respond to the legitimate aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security. There is no alternative," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said at the start of the three-day meeting. Days before the conference, French President Emmanuel Macron announced he would formally recognise Palestinian statehood in September, provoking strong opposition from Israel and the United States. Luxembourg hinted Monday that it could follow France and recognise a Palestinian state in September, with the possibility that other countries could announce similar plans when the conference resumes Tuesday. "All states have a responsibility to act now," said Palestinian prime minister Mohammad Mustafa at the start of the meeting, calling for an international force to help underwrite Palestinian statehood. He called for the world to recognize Palestinian statehood, while later demanding that Hamas surrender control of the Gaza Strip and its arms as part of a deal to end fighting in the territory. France is hoping Britain will follow its lead. More than 200 British members of parliament on Friday voiced support for the idea, but Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that recognition of a Palestinian state "must be part of a wider plan." 06:24 United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at the meeting "the two-state solution is farther than ever before." According to an AFP database, at least 142 of the 193 UN member states now recognize the Palestinian state proclaimed by the Palestinian leadership in exile in 1988. In 1947, in a resolution approved by the General Assembly, the United Nations decided to partition Palestine, then under a British mandate, into Jewish and Arab states. Israel was proclaimed in 1948. For decades, most UN members have supported a two-state solution with Israel and a Palestinian state existing side-by-side. But after more than 21 months of war in Gaza, the ongoing expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and Israeli officials declaring designs to annex occupied territory, it is feared a Palestinian state could become geographically impossible. The current war in Gaza started following a deadly attack by Hamas on Israel, which responded with a large-scale military response that has claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives and destroyed most infrastructure in the enclave. Barrot said it would be an "illusion to think that you can get to a lasting ceasefire without having an outline of what's going to happen in Gaza after the end of the war and having a political horizon." Israeli unilateral actions' Beyond facilitating conditions for recognizing Palestine, the meeting will focus on three other issues: reform of the Palestinian Authority, disarmament of Hamas and its exclusion from Palestinian public life, and normalization of relations with Israel by Arab states. However, no new normalisation deals are expected to be announced at the meeting, according to a French diplomatic source. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud said US President Donald Trump could be a "catalyst" to ending the war in Gaza and jump-starting the two-state solution, stressing Riyadh had no plans to normalize relations with Israel. Following his plea to Trump, the US State Department labeled the three-day event "unproductive and ill-timed," as well as a "publicity stunt" that would make finding peace harder. Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said action was needed to counter Israeli "settlements, land confiscation (and) encroachments on the holy sites." Israel and the United States were not taking part in the meeting, amid growing international pressure on Israel to end nearly two years of war in Gaza. Despite "tactical pauses" announced by Israel, the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza will dominate speeches. Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon said "this conference does not promote a solution."
Fashion Network
9 hours ago
- Fashion Network
France lashes out as EU agrees to tariff pact with Washington
France has denounced the new trade agreement between the European Union and the United States as a 'submission,' even as most EU members acknowledged the deal was unequal but necessary to avoid an economically damaging trade war with Washington. The framework agreement, announced Sunday between two economies representing nearly a third of global trade, allows the U.S. to impose a 15% import tariff on most EU goods starting next month. The deal offers limited protection for key sectors, including the automotive and pharmaceutical industries. While the 15% rate is half of what Washington initially threatened, it still exceeds European expectations significantly. U.S. President Donald Trump, who has sought to reshape global trade using tariff leverage since returning to the White House earlier this year, praised the accord during a visit to Scotland, calling it 'the biggest deal ever made.' But France, the EU's second-largest economy, was outspoken in its disapproval. 'It is a dark day when an alliance of free peoples, brought together to affirm their common values and to defend their common interests, resigns itself to submission,' French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou wrote on X (formerly Twitter). French President Emmanuel Macron has made no public statement on the matter. While the mood across Europe was subdued, most governments agreed that failing to reach an agreement would have triggered a far worse scenario. 'This agreement has succeeded in averting a trade conflict that would have hit the export-oriented German economy hard,' said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose country leads the EU bloc's economic rankings. EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said during a press conference that allowing 30% tariffs to be imposed would have been 'much, much worse.' 'This is clearly the best deal we could get under very difficult circumstances,' he added. Some member states acknowledged the deal provides stability following months of trade tensions with the U.S. Sweden described it as the 'least bad alternative,' while Spain supported it 'without enthusiasm.' A final deal will likely require ratification from EU capitals. Still work to do Because trade policy falls under the European Commission's authority, French objections are unlikely to derail the framework agreement. However, the deal has not yet been finalised. Many of the agreement's specifics remain unknown. EU officials said they expect clarification in a joint statement to be released by August 1. Additional negotiations will follow to turn the agreement into a full-fledged deal. Germany also called for further negotiations, particularly regarding the steel sector. President Trump said the deal—alongside an investment package that exceeds the Japan agreement signed last week—would strengthen trans-Atlantic relations after years of what he described as unfair treatment of U.S. exporters. Japan's package will include up to $550 billion in equity, loans and guarantees from state-run agencies, to be invested at Trump's discretion, according to Tokyo. In contrast, EU officials stated that the EU's $600 billion investment figure is based on non-binding intentions from the private sector. The agreement is expected to bring regulatory clarity to European industries, including those in the automotive, aerospace, and chemical sectors. However, EU negotiators had originally pushed for a zero-for-zero tariff deal. A 15% tariff remains significantly higher than the U.S.'s average import tariff rate of 2.5% before Trump's return. More clarity, but a challenge European stocks opened higher on Monday, with the STOXX 600 reaching a four-month high. Tech and healthcare sectors led the gains. 'The 15% rate is better than the market was fearing,' said Jefferies economist Mohit Kumar. Still, many European businesses remain conflicted about the outcome. 'Those who expect a hurricane are grateful for a storm,' said Wolfgang Große Entrup, head of the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI). 'Further escalation has been avoided. Nevertheless, the price is high for both sides. European exports are losing competitiveness. U.S. customers are paying the tariffs.' A major concern remains how the EU's promise to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in the U.S. and sharply increase energy imports can be realized. It remains unclear whether specific investment pledges have been made, or if the details are still being finalized. While the EU has committed to $750 billion in strategic purchases over the next three years—including oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and nuclear fuel—the U.S. may struggle to meet the demand. Though U.S. LNG production capacity is expected to nearly double over the next four years, analysts say it still won't be enough to meet Europe's needs. Oil production forecasts have also been revised downward. Despite the uncertainties, analysts say the deal has reduced market instability. Oil prices edged up on Monday.
