What Food Sovereignty? Assessing the New French Food Sovereignty Law Against the Common Agricultural Policy’s Objectives

Abstract

While initially popularised by grassroots organisations, the concept of food sovereignty is now increasingly used as a slogan by certain Member States of the European Union (EU). Notably, France has given concrete form to its political ambitions with the adoption of a new Orientation law on ‘food sovereignty and the renewal of generations in agriculture’ in March 2025. This paper analyses the meaning of food sovereignty as defined in this new law, and explores the connections and tensions between the French ambitions in the agri-food sector and the wider EU legal framework within which French law operates, focusing on the aims of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). In particular, we propose three avenues for discussion. We first argue that the meaning of food sovereignty as defined by the French Orientation law deviates from its original meaning as understood by grassroots organisations. We then argue that the Orientation law uneasily operates in a restricted EU agri-food legal framework, which leaves little room for policy innovation at the national level. We finally contend that, due to this constrained legal framework, and despite the flexibility allowed by the 2023 CAP reform, the French political priorities, to a certain extent, appear closely aligned with the EU agri-food policy and legal goals. By situating the French case within broader debates on the institutionalisation of food sovereignty and the evolving balance between national autonomy and supranational constraints in CAP governance, the paper clarifies how national claims to food sovereignty interact with and test the post-2023 CAP framework.