French government launches Ecophyto II + consultation to reduce reliance on pesticides

French government launched a public consultation on the draft plan Ecophyto II +.
 

The Ecophyto II + plan reinforces the Ecophyto II plan, mainly by integrating the actions provided for in the April 25, 2018 action plan on plant protection products and a less pesticide-dependent agriculture, and the plan of exit of glyphosate announced on June 22, 2018 on the other hand. 

 

The draft Ecophyto II + plan embodies the commitments made by the government since the beginning of the year and provides a new impetus to achieve the goal of reducing the use of plant protection products by 50% by 2025.

The plan aims to:
 

• accelerate the removal of the substances of greatest concern;
 

• to promote the recognition and dissemination of biocontrol products and natural preparations of low concern;
 

• to reinforce the prevention of the exposure of the population to pesticides as well as their impacts on the environment and biodiversity, notably through information, communication and dialogue between the different actors, and by the establishment, where appropriate, additional protective measures;
 

• to support research and innovation:

1. developing knowledge on the risks and impacts of plant protection products, especially during repeated exposure at low doses and on cocktail effects;

2. by reinforcing the demonstration of the economic, environmental and social performances of the systems saving in phytopharmaceutical products thanks to the device DEPHY;

• to accompany farmers in the transition:

1. by encouraging farmers' groups more widely to engage in reducing the use of plant protection products by accompanying them technically and financially via investment aid schemes, agri-environmental and climate measures, etc. The network of DEPHY farms, which brings together nearly 3,000 volunteer farms for the deployment of alternative solutions to plant protection products, is an important link that will be strengthened;

2. by implementing the separation of distribution, application and advisory activities concerning plant protection products in order to strengthen the dissemination of the principles of integrated crop protection;

3. by making the system of certificates of economy of phytopharmaceutical products, which was until now in the experimentation phase, permanent;

4. providing a resource center for alternatives to glyphosate use;

• to renovate the fee for diffuse pollution, to make it more incentive;
 

• to mobilize and empower all stakeholders, from farmers to supermarkets.

The necessary financial means will be mobilized to implement, notably via calls for projects, these actions: 71 million euros are thus devoted each year to the Ecophyto plan, thanks to the levy of a royalty on sales of plant protection products.
 

Particular attention will be paid to the coherence of all public policies which directly or indirectly constitute levers for achieving the objective of reducing the dependence of production systems on the use of plant protection products.
 

The consultation on the Ecophyto II + plan project is open from November 20th to December 10th, 2018.