2024-10-29 16:45:00
Manufacturers must be rubbing their hands. The Minister of Health, Geneviève Darrieussecq, had defended a tax on processed sugars despite the opposition of her colleague from Agriculture after deputies from different sides amended the annual Social Security financing project in this direction. But she has visibly revised her position and, on Tuesday, was content to mention measures on sodas, relying for the rest on “convincing” the food industry.
Incentivize rather than tax
“Modifying the taxation on sodas, for example by making it simpler and more restrictive also for manufacturers, I subscribe to this proposal,” declared the Minister of Health to the National Assembly.
“On the other hand, as far as the agri-food industry as a whole is concerned, I believe that we must, rather than wanting to systematically tax, convince (them) that they are moving towards recipes using much less sugar,” said -she continued. This is therefore a subject left to the goodwill of manufacturers.
Much more timid support
But these amendments caused dissension within the government. If the Ministry of the Budget views them favorably, the Minister of Agriculture, Annie Genevard, opposed the idea of putting “balls and bolts on the feet” of French industrialists. In this context, the position displayed on Tuesday by Geneviève Darrieussecq only appears as partial support for the MPs’ initiative.
The increase in the tax on sodas is the subject of an amendment, which therefore appears supported by the Minister of Health. On the other hand, his comments seem to be against another amendment which provides for a “contribution levied on processed food products intended for human consumption containing added sugars”.
Geneviève Darrieussecq also estimated that developments “can only be achieved with the support of the Minister of Agriculture”, promising to bring together “all industrialists” in the company of her colleague.
1730223691
#Minister #Health #backs #supports #measure #leniently
