Agriculture and Food New Law

1- Providing farmers a decent income

Eight key points aim at improving farmers’ income:

– Farmers set their prices based actual cost of production. A group of producers will actively participate in setting prices

– Setting production costs and market indicators benchmarks to ease trade negotiations

– Setting control and sanction procedures in case of non-compliance with the law. In parallel, mediation is consolidated for a better efficiency

– Opening renegotiations in case of commodity and energy price increases

– Government is granted power to legislate by order in cases of resale below cost

– Establishing minimum tolerated threshold of resale of food (10%). This measure is being tested for two years. It should allow the rebalancing of farmers’ margins

– Controling promotions volume and value. This measure aims to better pay farmers and agro-food SMEs

– Effectiveness of the prohibition of the price of abusive assignment through an order

2- Strengthening the sanitary and environmental production conditions

5 points were raised on the health and environmental conditions of production.

– Stoping the use of all harmful products, especially neonicotinoids, for biodiversity and bees

– Phytosanitary products: seperate sales and consulting operations

– Prohibiting promotions, discounts or rebates for these types of products to better regulate their use

– Titanium dioxide suspended in the manufacture of food products for nutritional reasons

– Implementating protection measure for people living near phytosanitary treatment areas

3- Ensuring animal welfare

The law protects and ensures animal welfare and provides for lasting changes:

– Organic products must contain 50% of sustainable products from January 1st 2022

– Preventing food waste will be strengthened

– Enforcing take away (doggy bag) in restaurants and drinking places

4-     Less plastic in food sector from 2022

The protection of the environment is one of the important points of this new law.

– Collective and local catering: no more food containers for cooking or reheating from 2050

– Restaurants, canteens and shops: plastic bags and straws will be banned from 2022

– School canteens: more plastic water bottles from 2020