The proposed law to curb the proliferation of the Asian hornet and preserve the beekeeping industry: Join the BeesForLife Petition

COORDINATING PUBLIC ACTION AGAINST THE ASIAN HORNET, THE BLACK (AND YELLOW) BEAST OF BEEKEEPERS

On 3 April 2024, the Committee on Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development adopted, along the lines suggested by the rapporteur, Jean-Yves Roux, the draft bill to curb the proliferation of the Asian hornet and preserve the beekeeping industry, presented by Michel Masset and several of his colleagues.

Validation of the report adopted unanimously on 3 April 2024 by the Senate Committee on Regional Planning and Sustainable Development.

You will find below the text that was validated by the committee

Take part in the Petition to support our elected representatives at the next votes on the proposed law The proposed law to curb the proliferation of the Asian hornet and preserve the beekeeping industry: by senators and deputies between April and June 2024
https://www.change.org/p/le-projet-de-loi-pour-lutter-contre-le-frelon-asiatique-vote-par-nos-elus-prévu-en-avril
or https://chng.it/dpjbTV6frG

Next steps Vote in the Senate on 11 April, with the possibility of some amendments
Imposed deadline of one month before going to the National Assembly, which will decide whether to put it on the agenda.
Consideration expected around June

N° 501

SENATE ORDINARY SESSION 2023-2024

Registered at the Presidency of the Senate on 3 April 2024 PROPOSAL FOR A LAW to curb the proliferation of the Asian hornet and preserve the beekeeping industry,
EXTE DE LA COMMISSION DE L'AMÉNAGEMENT DU TERRITOIRE ET DU DÉVELOPPEMENT DURABLE (1)

Bill to curb the proliferation of the Asian hornet and preserve the beekeeping industry

Sole article

I. - After article L. 411-9 of the Environment Code, articles L. 411-9-1 to L. 411-9-3 are inserted, worded as follows:

"Art. L. 411-9-1 - I. - As part of the plans mentioned in article L. 411-9, a national plan to combat the Yellow-legged Asian Hornet is instituted, which determines :

"1° National guidelines and monitoring indicators for surveillance, prevention, selective trapping and destruction measures implemented as part of the departmental plans to combat the Yellow-legged Asian Hornet defined in II of this article;

"2° The classification of départements according to the predation pressure and damage caused to apiaries and wild pollinators by the Asian Yellow-legged Hornet;

"3° Funding allocated to public information, scientific knowledge and research into effective and selective control tools;

"4° Financial support for local authorities as part of the departmental plans to combat the Yellow-legged Asian Hornet provided for in II above, in particular for the acquisition of systems to prevent and combat predation.

"The plan referred to in the first paragraph of this I is drawn up by the State in consultation with health organisations, associations representing local elected representatives, representatives of socio-economic players directly affected by the endangerment of pollinators, environmental protection associations and members of the scientific community.

"II - The departmental plan to combat the Yellow-legged Asian Hornet is drawn up by the representative of the State in the department in consultation with the president of the departmental council, representatives of the communes and their groupings, the departmental section of health organisations, socio-economic players directly affected by the endangerment of pollinators, environmental protection associations, the French Biodiversity Office and nature users.

"The departmental plan is a local version of the national plan set out in I. The departmental plan is updated no later than six months after each modification to the national plan.

"III (new) - A decree sets out the conditions for application of this article.

"Art. L. 411-9-2 - Any legal occupier of a plot of land in which there is a nest of yellow-legged Asian hornets is required to declare this nest to the representative of the State in the département. The latter will decide whether the nest should be destroyed in view of the danger it poses to public health and the life cycle of the species.

"Art. L. 411-9-3 - Any damage suffered by a beekeeper as a result of exposure to the Yellow-legged Asian Hornet shall give rise to a right to compensation commensurate with the damage. The flat-rate compensation amounts and the methods for calculating the compensation are set by joint order of the ministers for the environment and agriculture, issued after consultation with the beekeeping interprofession and the Technical and Scientific Institute for Beekeeping and Pollination.

II - Any financial consequences resulting from I for local and regional authorities are offset, to the same extent, by an increase in the overall operating grant.

III - The loss of revenue resulting for the State from I and II is offset, to the same extent, by the creation of an additional tax to the excise duty on tobacco provided for in Chapter IV of Title I of Book III of the code of taxes on goods and services.
Continuation of the bill process: 11 April vote by senators
and probably around June Debate and vote by members of the National Assembly
To support the petition, follow this link
www.change.org/p/le-projet-de-loi-pour-lutter-contre-le-frelon-asiatique-vote-par-nos-elus-prévu-en-avril

04/05/2024

	Sole article
	I. - After article L. 411-9 of the Environment Code, articles L. 411-9-1 to L. 411-9-3 are inserted, worded as follows:
	"Art. L. 411-9-1 - I. - As part of the plans mentioned in article L. 411-9, a national plan to combat the Yellow-legged Asian Hornet is instituted, which determines :
	"1° National guidelines and monitoring indicators for surveillance, prevention, selective trapping and destruction measures implemented as part of the departmental plans to combat the Yellow-legged Asian Hornet defined in II of this article;
	"2° The classification of départements according to the predation pressure and damage caused to apiaries and wild pollinators by the Asian Yellow-legged Hornet;
	"3° Funding allocated to public information, scientific knowledge and research into effective and selective control tools;
	"4° Financial support for local authorities as part of the departmental plans to combat the Yellow-legged Asian Hornet provided for in II above, in particular for the acquisition of systems to prevent and combat predation.
	"The plan referred to in the first paragraph of this I is drawn up by the State in consultation with health organisations, associations representing local elected representatives, representatives of socio-economic players directly affected by the endangerment of pollinators, environmental protection associations and members of the scientific community.
	"II - The departmental plan to combat the Yellow-legged Asian Hornet is drawn up by the representative of the State in the department in consultation with the president of the departmental council, representatives of the communes and their groupings, the departmental section of health organisations, socio-economic players directly affected by the endangerment of pollinators, environmental protection associations, the French Biodiversity Office and nature users.
	"The departmental plan is a local version of the national plan set out in I. The departmental plan is updated no later than six months after each modification to the national plan.
	"III (new) - A decree sets out the conditions for application of this article.
	"Art. L. 411-9-2 - Any legal occupier of a plot of land in which there is a nest of yellow-legged Asian hornets is required to declare this nest to the representative of the State in the département. The latter will decide whether the nest should be destroyed in view of the danger it poses to public health and the life cycle of the species.
	"Art. L. 411-9-3 - Any damage suffered by a beekeeper as a result of exposure to the Yellow-legged Asian Hornet shall give rise to a right to compensation commensurate with the damage. The flat-rate compensation amounts and the methods for calculating the compensation are set by joint order of the ministers for the environment and agriculture, issued after consultation with the beekeeping interprofession and the Technical and Scientific Institute for Beekeeping and Pollination.
	II - Any financial consequences resulting from I for local and regional authorities are offset, to the same extent, by an increase in the overall operating grant.
	III - The loss of revenue resulting for the State from I and II is offset, to the same extent, by the creation of an additional tax to the excise duty on tobacco provided for in Chapter IV of Title I of Book III of the code of taxes on goods and services.