France’s National Assembly approved 10 million euros for vine removal aid

France’s National Assembly approved a 10 million euro amendment on Thursday, November 12, to shore up funding for aid to winegrowers who remove vines, backing a measure meant to cover stronger-than-expected demand for a support program announced in late 2025.

The amendment, No. 105, was adopted during debate on France’s year-end budget adjustment bill for 2026. The Assembly’s official tally recorded 45 votes in favor and 4 against, with 64 lawmakers taking part in the vote.

Jean-René Cazeneuve, the lawmaker who presented the amendment, told the chamber the money was needed to “secure” the uprooting premium promised by the government. He said the wine sector, a major part of French agriculture and farm exports, had been hit by export tariffs, several years of climate-related crises and a decline in consumption. The 10 million euros, he said, would be used because commitments under the program had exceeded initial expectations.

The measure concerns what French lawmakers described as a prime à l’arrachage, a payment to growers who uproot vines. Such programs are generally used to reduce vineyard acreage in areas where production has become difficult to sustain. In France, that issue has drawn growing attention as some wine regions face weaker demand, pressure on exports and repeated weather shocks.

The amendment received support from the government. David Amiel, the minister for public action and accounts, told lawmakers he was in favor of the proposal and said the measure was necessary for the wine industry after what he called a very difficult recent period for the sector.

Philippe Juvin, the finance committee’s general rapporteur, said the committee had not examined the amendment because it had been filed late. He said he understood its purpose and noted that the Agriculture, Food, Forestry and Rural Affairs budget mission totaled about 3.6 billion euros. Before the government stated its position, he asked whether 10 million euros could be mobilized within that envelope. After hearing the government’s support, the Assembly moved to the vote.

The discussion took place during a long sitting on the end-of-year finance bill, which adjusts spending and appropriations before the close of the 2026 fiscal year. In the same session, lawmakers also approved another government-backed agricultural measure, a 12 million euro amendment to complete financing for exceptional aid to companies that had bought non-road diesel for agricultural or forestry work. That broader context showed that farm support was one of the areas drawing cross-party attention during the budget debate.

The vineyard amendment stood out because of the margin of support it received. Many other amendments discussed in the same sitting were rejected, often after the government and the finance committee issued negative opinions. On the wine measure, however, the government backed the proposal and the rapporteur did not oppose it, helping it win broad support in the chamber.

For the beverage industry, the vote could matter beyond French parliamentary procedure. France remains one of the world’s largest wine producers, and decisions on vineyard restructuring can affect grape supply, producer finances and the pace of adjustment in regions facing long-term market pressure. Extra public funding for vine removal may help authorities manage excess capacity more smoothly if low consumption, trade pressures and climate damage continue to weigh on growers.

The vote does not mean the measure automatically became law. The National Assembly’s legislative file shows that the 2026 year-end budget bill was later rejected by the chamber on Thursday, November 12, after the amendment had been adopted during debate. That means the 10 million euro allocation was approved at this stage of the parliamentary process, but its final fate depends on how the broader budget legislation proceeds.