Europe 1 with AFP 3:34 p.m., February 25, 2024
On Saturday, at the Salon de l'Agriculture, Emmanuel Macron announced the recognition of agriculture as a "major general interest of the French nation".
A measure which would place it at the same level of importance as environmental protection, explained the president of the FNSEA, Arnaud Rousseau.
The recognition of agriculture as a “major general interest of the French nation”, promised by Emmanuel Macron, would place it at the same level of importance as environmental protection, explained Sunday the president of the FNSEA, Arnaud Rousseau.
“On a legal level, it positions agriculture in balance with the environment,” indicated the boss of the first agricultural union, invited on the stage of the RTL Grand Jury,
Le Figaro
, M6.
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On Saturday, the President of the Republic committed during a debate at the Agricultural Show to include this measure in law, "which will protect our agriculture in a firm and solid manner".
The measure still needs to be explained, but it resembles the presumption of major public interest from which wind turbine or solar power plant projects can benefit, for example, when their construction risks endangering protected species or habitats.
“We will have to arbitrate between environmental law and agriculture recognized as being of major general interest”
Asked about the priority that could thus be given to the construction of water reservoirs or "megabasins" when environmental associations oppose it in the name of defending the environment, "not everything is going to be permitted, that is not the case. is not the case", replied Arnaud Rousseau.
“But it could make it possible, depending on the recognition of the general interest character, to say that at some point we will have to arbitrate between environmental law and agriculture recognized as being of major general interest.” he explained.
“The idea of leaving this decision to the judge seems likely to give direction,” welcomed Arnaud Rousseau.
“The idea is to balance to ensure that we do not continue to say that we are going to protect the environment at home, which makes sense (...) but if everything comes from elsewhere , and carbon, and the measures that do not respect our standards and our qualities, I am not sure that we have made much progress,” he continued.
“It’s not against ecology, it’s alongside ecology,” insisted Arnaud Rousseau.