Agricultural orientation law, end of life, climate roadmap… Three texts pending since the dissolution are back on the agenda, assures Michel Barnier

Facing the deputies, the new tenant of Matignon presented the government’s roadmap on Tuesday.

Rejected by the previous government or put on hold by the surprise dissolution of the National Assembly in June, certain files arrived on the Prime Minister’s desk. On the occasion of his general policy speech, Tuesday October 1, Michel Barnier, new tenant of Matignon, assures us: these texts have not been forgotten.

The agricultural orientation bill taken up “without delay”

“We must give long-term perspectives” to the agricultural sector, said Michel Barnier. The agricultural orientation bill, whose parliamentary journey had been interrupted by the dissolution of the National Assembly, will thus be resumed “without delay” by the government, announced the Prime Minister.

Adopted at first reading in the Assembly in May, this orientation law for sovereignty in agricultural matters and the renewal of generations in agriculture (Ploa), eagerly awaited by the sector, must implement a large part of the demands expressed during events at the start of the year: it places agriculture in the rank of major general interest, sets up a one-stop shop for the installation of new farmers and facilitates, among other procedures, the construction of livestock buildings or of water reserves.

“We must strengthen transparency on the margins practiced in mass distribution and encourage tripartite contracts between farmers, processors and distributors”, underlined Michel Barnier, promising to continue, “in Brussels, the essential work of simplifying the rules”. Thus, his government counts “ensure that budgetary negotiations and the negotiation of free trade agreements respect [les] interests [de nos entreprises et exploitations] and reciprocity in exchanges”.

The “dialogue” on the end-of-life bill will resume “at the beginning of next year”

Michel Barnier announced on Tuesday that he wanted “resume the dialogue” with Parliament at the start of 2025 on the end-of-life bill. “We will resume dialogue with you, with the Senate, caregivers and associations, at the beginning of next year on the bill whose examination was interrupted by the dissolution,” declared the Prime Minister in front of the deputies.

The text was to legalize assisted suicide and, in certain cases, euthanasia, with strict conditions and without using these terms, preferring to speak of“active assistance in dying”. However, its relaunch appears more complex with the Barnier government, more marked on the right. The President of the Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet, also wanted a review at the end of September “before the end of the year”, while Olivier Falorni (related to MoDem), general rapporteur of the interrupted project, tabled a bill resuming “entirely” the text as it was before the dissolution.

The government has several opponents of the text, which had already taken more than a year to hatch, first and foremost the Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, from the conservative right.

“Planning work” on energy and climate “will resume immediately”

The French energy-climate strategy, the third national plan for adaptation to climate change, the new multi-annual energy programming… These texts, however fundamental for guiding public policies in terms of energy, reduction of carbon emissions greenhouse gases and adaptation to climate change, are up to a year behind schedule. During his general policy declaration, the Prime Minister assured that this work planning were going “resume immediately” based on those already carried out.

Friday, the High Council for Climate (HCC) judged “urgent“the adoptions of these laws and planning documents, urging the government and Parliament to give “clear and stable direction”. During the summer, the energy sector for its part called for the implementation of the multi-annual program setting for 2035 the major objectives by type of energy, as well as the national low-carbon strategy. The previous government, lacking an absolute majority in the National Assembly, had given up on making it a law, promising a decree. But the latter was never released.