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Farmer protests in France: Farmers have been blocking motorways and other roads for days

Photo: Baptiste Autissier / PanoramiC / IMAGO

The big strike in France could soon be over: representatives of French farmers have called on their guild's protesters to stop their blockade actions after concessions from the government. Instead of blocking, the ministries and local authorities want to work on the points announced by the government, said Arnaud Gaillot from the Jeunes Agriculteurs (Young Farmers) union. Arnaud Rousseau from the FNSEA union made it clear: "The movement doesn't stop, it changes."

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal had previously promised a series of measures:

  • Attal announced additional financial aid worth 150 million euros annually for livestock breeders.

  • In addition, the import of fruit and vegetables that have been treated with thiacloprid should be banned. The use of the pesticide is prohibited in France.

  • Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau promised to revise a planned law to reduce pesticide use in France.

  • Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire announced inspections in all major supermarkets to check compliance with a law intended to ensure fair prices for farmers' agricultural products.

France's farmers have been demonstrating for days, mainly with motorway blockades, against falling income, environmental regulations from Brussels and, in their opinion, too many requirements. The capital Paris in particular was to suffer.

The farmers' protests were primarily sparked by plans for higher taxes on agricultural diesel. The government had already withdrawn this project last week and made far-reaching promises to the farmers. (Read more about the farmers' protests à la française here.)

Young farmer Gaillot wants to see concrete improvements at an agricultural trade fair at the end of February. Longer-term measures should be in place by June. If this is not the case, we will not hesitate to mobilize again on a large scale.

Fires during farmers' protests in Brussels - EU Parliament partially sealed off

Farmers are currently protesting in several EU countries. They criticize, for example, environmental regulations of the European Union or the Mercosur trade agreement. At the same time, the EU provides farmers with tens of billions of euros in subsidies every year, the payment of which is linked to compliance with requirements.

Farmers protested in Brussels on Thursday, some of them violent. The European Parliament was therefore partially sealed off. Objects were set on fire in front of the buildings and police protected the main entrance with barbed wire and units in riot gear, as seen in photos.

Around 1,300 tractors were on site, the police said. In some cases there were clashes with objects being thrown and tear gas being used.

The EU Commission accommodated the farmers on Wednesday and proposed an exception: retroactively to January 1st, the requirement that four percent of arable land must lie fallow or be used unproductively should be suspended. The requirement is actually intended to protect the environment - hedges in which birds can breed, for example, are considered unproductive use. In order for farmers to benefit from the proposed exception, they should in return grow nitrogen-fixing plants such as lentils or peas or catch crops on seven percent of their arable land.

Demonstrations also in Greece and Portugal

In Portugal, farmers blocked several important roads to neighboring Spain. However, the local farmers' association has distanced itself from the protests and points out that the government has withdrawn planned cuts in state aid. The government in Lisbon also announced on Wednesday further support measures for agriculture worth 500 million euros, particularly in view of a drought in the south of the country. This also includes a tax cut on agricultural diesel.

In Greece, farmers with 300 tractors and beekeepers with dozens of trucks paralyzed the center of Thessaloniki. Many of them came from the Thessaly region, which was hit by severe storms last year. Fishermen also drove their cutters right up to the city's waterfront. The country's largest agricultural fair is currently taking place in Thessaloniki.

Greek farmers had also previously blocked highways. They demand lower taxes, cheaper electricity and fuel and stricter import controls. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis promised farmers faster financial aid on Tuesday in order to end the protests. Farmers affected by storms can also hope for financial injections.

kko/AFP/dpa