What does the Duplomb law, which is the subject of a record-breaking petition on the Assembly's website, provide?

This is a first since the creation, in 2020, of the online citizen petition system at the National Assembly. On Saturday at 4 p.m., the petition calling for the repeal of the Duplomb law crossed the threshold of 500,000 signatures . Widely relayed on social networks, this petition - launched on July 10 by a student, Eléonore Pattery - denounces "a scientific, ethical, environmental and health aberration" , targeting in particular the highly contested reintroduction of acetamiprid, a pesticide from the neonicotinoid family.

Crossing this threshold does not result in the repeal or review of the text. If the signatures come from at least 30 overseas departments or communities, the Conference of Presidents of the National Assembly may decide to organize a debate in public session. This debate will focus solely on the petition itself, and not on the adopted law, which has yet to be promulgated by Emmanuel Macron and is the subject of a referral to the Constitutional Council by left-wing deputies.

Definitively adopted on July 8 by 316 votes to 223 , the Duplomb law, named after the LR senator who introduced it , is presented as a response to the agricultural crisis of January 2024. Thousands of farmers took to the streets to denounce the accumulation of standards, the collapse of incomes and unfair competition. Supported by the government, the text was adopted thanks to the votes of the presidential majority and the extreme right (the RN-UDR alliance) to "lift the constraints" weighing on French agriculture.

But for its opponents, it represents a series of environmental setbacks: facilitating intensive livestock farming, accelerating water storage projects, restrictions on public participation in environmental investigations. And, above all, the return of a banned pesticide.

Acetamiprid , a neonicotinoid insecticide banned in France since 2018 but still authorized in Europe until 2033, is presented by beet and hazelnut producers as the only solution to pests. However, it is accused of harming bees, accumulating in soil and groundwater, and posing risks to human health.

"It's not a harmless product," Christian Lannou, deputy director of agricultural research at the French National Institute for Agricultural, Food and Environmental Research (INRAE), explained to Libération on July 8. Less toxic than other neonicotinoids, acetamiprid remains an insecticide, designed to kill insects. This pesticide attacks their nervous system by triggering hyperactivity in neurons, which can lead to disorientation, paralysis, and death. It doesn't spare bees, earthworms, birds, or fish. Nor humans.

Presented as harmless by its defenders, this pesticide is in fact the subject of growing concern in the scientific world regarding human health. Several recent studies warn of its potential effects on the nervous system, fertility, prenatal development, and even a possible link with metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes. In humans, the molecule has been detected in urine, blood, and cerebral fluid, including in sick children or low-birth-weight newborns. In 2022, traces of the substance were found in samples taken from children with leukemia or lymphatic system cancer. While the data remains incomplete, warning signs are mounting. As a result, acetamiprid remains authorized at the European level, but is now under increased surveillance. This substance is due for a complete review by 2033, as part of the evaluation process planned for all pesticides approved in the European Union.

Last September, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), responsible for assessing health risks related to food, the environment and pesticides, recommended reducing the "acceptable daily intake" of acetamiprid and its "acute reference dose" (the maximum amount a consumer can safely ingest at one time) by five, due to "legitimate concerns" and significant scientific uncertainties.

On July 11, left-wing MPs appealed to the Constitutional Council, arguing that the law was incompatible with environmental protection requirements and the right to health. They argued that the bill would allow for the immediate reintroduction of acetamiprid in the event of a "serious threat to agricultural production," a vague concept not defined by law. They also pointed to the lack of restrictions on certain crops, the absence of a strict time limit, and a simple review clause after three years, and then annually.

In their appeal, they argue that this exemption contravenes two constitutional principles: the precautionary principle, which requires the prevention of serious environmental damage even in cases of scientific uncertainty, and the principle of non-regression, which prohibits going back on progress in environmental protection.

Another point of tension concerns the independence of ANSES, the agency responsible for assessing the toxicity of pesticides. A decree published in early July stipulates that it must give priority to certain agricultural uses defined by the Ministry of Agriculture. In short, the ministry's requests will be given priority . For the opposition, this amounts to placing the agency under supervision. The agency, for its part, assures that it will "evaluate the consequences" of this measure.

The Constitutional Council is expected to deliver its decision in the coming weeks.