Collectif des maires anti-pesticides v. Ministry of Agriculture Reference : 437815 Complaint date : January 21, 2020 Status : Final judgment Place of jurisdiction : France, Paris Plaintiffs types : Local authorities Plaintiffs names : Collectif des maires anti-pesticides Defendants : French Republic Lawyers for Health and Environmental Justice : Corinne Lepage Case nature : Administrative Type(s), Product(s), Active substance(s) : All Requests : Cancellation of the decree n°2019-1500 of 12/27/2019 relating to measures for the protection of persons during the use of plant protection products near residential areas and the order of December 27, 2019 relating to measures for the protection of persons during the use of plant protection products and amending the order of May 4, 2017, for excess of power. Name of the Court : Council of State of Paris, France Jurisdiction level : Decision date : July 26, 2021 Decision nature : Partially Positive Decision content : The Council of State judged that "the minimum distances for the spreading of products whose toxicity is only suspected (...) are insufficient" and ordered the government to reinforce the rules of use (insufficient distances, information for residents and people present in the vicinity of spreading areas, protective measures for people working in the vicinity of an area where pesticides are used) within six months. Legal basis : Court Ruling : Link to the ruling Summary : The network of anti-pesticides city mayors challenges before the Council of State the minimum distances for pesticide application and the conditions for drawing up commitment charters, judging them insufficiently protective. These had been published on Dec. 27, 2019, following the judgment of the Council of State on June 26, 2019, which had already found the rules insufficiently protective following appeals against the order of March 4, 2017 (petitions 415426 and 415431). The Council of State joined petitions 437815, 438085 (CRIIGEN), 438343 (Agir pour l'environnement), 438444 (Chambre départementale d'agriculture de la Vienne), 438445 (Coordination rurale), 439100 and 439127 (Générations Futures, FNE, UFC - Que choisir, Collectif Vigilance OGM et pesticides 16, Union syndicale Solidaires, Eau et rivières de Bretagne, AMLP, Collectif de soutien aux victimes des pesticides de l'ouest), 439189 (communes de Tremblay-en-France, Compans, Mitry-Mory et Champigny-sur-Marne), 441240 (M. B... C..., Santé environnement combe de Savoie, Mr. E... D... and Alerte aux Toxiques) and 443223 (Mr. F... A... and the company A...-Sol). The intervention of the commune of Bègles is admitted. It judged that "the minimum distances for spreading products whose toxicity is only suspected (...) are insufficient" and ordered the government to reinforce the rules of use (insufficient distances, information for residents and people present in the vicinity of the spreading zones, protective measures for people working in the vicinity of a zone where pesticides are used) within six months. Scientific references : No scientifice reference for this case. Related links : Communiqué du Conseil d'État relatif à la décision : Pesticides : le Conseil d'État ordonne que les règles d’utilisation soient complétées pour mieux protéger la population Pesticides : le Conseil d’État estime que les “distances minimales d’épandage” de produits phytosanitaires toxiques sont insuffisantes Pesticides: "la décision du Conseil d'Etat est une avancée non négligeable", salue Corinne Lepage Le Conseil d’Etat demande le renforcement des règles d’épandage de pesticides Le Conseil d’État renforce les règles d’épandage de pesticides Pesticides et sécurité des riverains : l'État doit renforcer les règles Pesticides : le Conseil d'Etat somme l'exécutif de corriger le tir Avis de l'ANSES relatif à une demande d’appui scientifique sur les mesures de protection des riverains lors de l’utilisation des produits phytosanitaires Le gouvernement s’obstine sur les pesticides, le Conseil d’État le sanctionne