France, May 21 -- This month's anniversary of the Taubira Law comes as French MPs move to formally repeal the "Code Noir" - a collection of royal decrees from the 17th and 18th centuries which regulated slavery in the French colonies.

Although the decrees ceased to be applied long ago, they have not been explicitly removed from French law.

On Wednesday, members of the National Assembly's Law Commission unanimously backed a bill to repeal the text, ahead of commemorations of the anniversary which will take place across France and its overseas territories.

French President Emmanuel Macron was due to address the issue during a reception at the Elysee Palace on Thursday attended by Christiane Taubira - the former justice minister and MP fo...