At the request of the opposition, the deputies unanimously reduced the deadlines to January 31, 2023 for the collection of Covid health data and a possible health pass at the borders. The deadline initially set in the bill “now temporarily a monitoring and health security system in the fight against Covid-19” ran until March 31, 2023.
The amendment was adopted during the examination of the government text in the law commission, Wednesday, July 6. This first text of the legislature, with a limited scope, is expected Monday in the hemicycle.
It makes it possible to extend the period for collecting health data (SI-DEP and Contact Covid platforms) and sets up a possible health pass at the borders, if the health situation requires it. The oppositions demanded, on the other hand, that the review clause intervene earlier than what was initially provided for in the project. “You no longer have an absolute majority”must therefore “reasonable methods” of “co-construction” of the law, pleaded the deputies LR Raphaël Schellenberger and Philippe Gosselin. The “rebellious” Ugo Bernalicis insisted on the sensitivity of data collection.
The Macronist deputies first stressed the need “to span the winter”, a period considered to be at risk for the resumption of the epidemic. After a suspension of the sitting and a “compromise”the deputies unanimously adopted two amendments by deputy LR Dino Cinieri bringing the deadline to January 31, 2023. “It was agreed that we could agree on a date which would be January 31 and that there would be a summons from the Minister of Health halfway through to answer all your questions”added the LREM rapporteur, Caroline Abadie, in the law commission.
Covid-19: The health watch bill is adopted in committee. The text extends the use of the SI-DEP and Contact Covid files. It opens the possibility of establishing a health pass at the borders, applicable for Corsica and the overseas territories.#DirectAN #Covid19 pic.twitter.com/XrBwXJlTlo
—LCP (@LCP) July 6, 2022
MP LR Philippe Gosselin hailed “a change of attitude” of the majority and “very important progress”. “When you have a blockage, call me, I will make you an amendment”, joked his colleague Dino Cinieri. In the presidential majority, the MoDem Erwan Balanant praised this “new method” of “co-construction” and “mutual listening”. “For the first time, we discussed, wow. But let’s not tell stories, you weren’t in the majority on these amendments”nuanced Ugo Bernalicis, addressing the macronists. “Hooray, we negotiated”also quipped the communist Elsa Faucillon.