French farmers block highways to step up pressure on government

Long lines of tractors blocked highways near Paris and across France on Monday, as angry farmers sought to put pressure on the government to do more to help them face inflation, compete with cheap imports and make a living.

The protests follow similar action in other EU countries, including Germany and Poland, ahead of European Parliament elections in June in which the far right, for whom farmers represent a growing constituency, is seen making gains.

“It’s just too much, we’re really fed up,” said one farmer, Geraldine Grillon (46), at a blockade on the A10 highway south of Paris.

Ms Grillon blamed President Emmanuel Macron and the European Union for the farmers’ woes. Mr Macron “couldn’t care less” about farmers, she said. Behind her, a banner on a stack of hay bales read: “Macron, answer us.”

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The French government has responded to the protests by dropping plans to gradually reduce subsidies on agricultural diesel and promising to ease environmental regulations.

France also said it would push its EU peers to agree to ease regulations on fallow farmland and promised that more measures would be announced shortly.

With farmers angry over cheap imports, Mr Macron has told the European Commission is impossible to conclude trade deal negotiations with South America’s Mercosur bloc and he understands the EU has put an end to the talks, his office said on Monday.

Farmers’ organisations, which have in particular objected to the Mercosur talks, said they wanted more and would bloc roads as long as needed.

“Our objective is to put pressure on the government, so that we can quickly find a solution for a way out of the crisis,” Arnaud Rousseau, head of the powerful farmers’ union FNSEA, said on RTL radio.

Many farmers attached flags and banners to their tractors. One tractor was carrying a sign that read “Angry farmer”, another read: “Too many taxes, too many rules, no income to live on.”

Mr Macron would make a push for more pro-farming policies at an EU summit on Thursday, farming Mminister Marc Fesneau said. A French presidency source said Mr Macron would also discuss this with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.

EU farmers must meet certain conditions to receive EU subsidies – including a requirement to devote 4 per cent of farmland to “non-productive” areas where nature can recover. That can be done by leaving land lying fallow.

Two EU officials said the European Commission was looking into changing the fallow land rule, as requested by France, among other options to respond to the farmers’ concerns. The commission has already temporarily exempted farmers from the rule in response to the Ukraine war and food security concerns.

Belgian farmers also blocked highways in southern Belgium and parked tractors near to the EU Parliament in Brussels. Some 30-40 tractors were parked up on the E19 road just south of the Belgian capital on Monday morning, many farmers having spent the night in their cabs.

“Seeing that it was starting up in other countries, we thought ... maybe if we all get together we will be stronger in the eyes of the EU,” cereal and egg farmer Jean Riz said. “We would like the EU to shoulder its responsibilities.” – Reuters

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