French parliament backs bill allowing two bee-harming pesticides

France's parliament backed a bill authorising farmers to use two pesticides described in the report as harmful to bees, despite opposition from environmentalists and left-wing politicians.

The measure covers acetamiprid and flupyradifurone. The insecticides have been forbidden in France since 2018 and 2019 respectively, but are allowed in the European Union. Supporters say French sugar beet, apple and hazelnut farmers need them to compete with farmers elsewhere in Europe. Opponents say the products are dangerous to bees and to human health.

The Senate approved the bill by 214 votes to 111 on Tuesday evening, after the National Assembly passed it earlier the same day. Senator Laurent Duplomb, who supported the measure, said lawmakers should be proud of the work done.

The vote followed an earlier attempt to reintroduce acetamiprid. Last year, the Constitutional Council, France's highest court, struck down a provision in another bill, saying it posed risks to human health. More than two million people had signed a petition against that provision. Duplomb had championed that earlier bill.

Greenpeace said after the National Assembly vote that the government and its allies were ignoring science, health, the environment and public opposition. Henri Clement of the French Beekeeping Union told regional outlet Ici Gard Lozere that the measure was "absolutely catastrophic".

The report said research has found that acetamiprid can poison honeybees and affect their foraging capacity and memory. It also said a 2024 study suggested flupyradifurone could be lethal to some bees.

Most left-wing lawmakers in the lower house voted against reintroducing the two pesticides, but the measure passed with support from the far right and many centrists. The left said it would appeal to the Constitutional Council if the Senate approved the measure.

Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard defended the bill as necessary after farmer protests during the winter. She said health authorities would approve use of the pesticides only in certain areas and for limited periods, and only if there was no impact on human health or the environment, an emergency situation, and no alternative. Before the Senate vote, aides to Environment Minister Monique Barbut said she could resign if the chamber approved the reintroduction.