On July 20, 2026, the National Assembly passed the agricultural emergency law, known as the Duplomb 2 Law, with 296 deputies voting in favor. The law allows the reintroduction of neonicotinoids—pesticides like acetamipride and flupyradifurone—into French agriculture. The decision sparked protests near the Palais Bourbon, the seat of the National Assembly. Delphine Batho, a deputy from Deux-Sèvres, criticized the law as a major step backward in the fight against the pesticide lobby, Phyteis. This group has worked behind the scenes for years to block bans on its products and influence legislation. Batho had previously passed an amendment in 2015 that banned neonicotinoids, but Phyteis has continued to challenge this restriction. Phyteis, which was previously known as the Union of Plant Protection Industries (UIPP) until 2022, has been a key player in lobbying efforts related to pesticide regulations. Jordan Allouche, a counter-lobbyist, said understanding the deregulation and environmental setbacks of the past five years requires understanding Phyteis’s influence. Last year, Phyteis supported the return of acetamipride during the Duplomb 2 Law, though an appeal to overturn the neonicotinoid ban was rejected by the Council of State, France’s highest administrative court. Vincent Louault, a senator from Indre-et-Loire, was revealed in a France 2 magazine episode on September 3 to have misled colleagues about the prevalence of acetamipride in household products, such as flea collars for pets. He admitted to having "done a fake news" and simplified the information too much, though he apologized and took responsibility. Louault, a farmer by profession, was described by his socialist counterpart, Michaël Weber, as one of the most aggressive senators on pesticide issues. Media reports indicated Louault met with Phyteis on May 29 and submitted several amendments that were later included in the final text of the law. Phyteis denies having met with Louault in a video conference on that date but has not denied submitting amendments to him. François Veillerette of Générations Futures, an environmental organization, criticized Phyteis for facilitating the market entry of pesticide products. He argued that the longer a product remains on the market, the more profitable it is for manufacturers. In June 2023, Phyteis received letters from the Senate and the National Assembly for lacking rigor and prudence in its lobbying activities. This was the first time such letters were sent to an interest representative since the Sapin II law was enacted in 2016. The letters emphasized that the information provided should not contain deliberately inaccurate elements intended to mislead deputies.