As of: February 27, 2024, 6:46 a.m
By: Bona Hyun
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Farmer protests accompany meetings of EU agriculture ministers in Brussels.
The sometimes violent demonstrations by farmers are directed against EU agricultural policy.
Brussels - The farmers' protests continue: In view of a meeting of the EU agriculture ministers in Brussels, hundreds of farmers demonstrated, sometimes violently, against agricultural policy.
A total of 900 tractors blocked roads in the EU district on Monday (February 26), the
Belga
news agency reported, citing police.
Farmers in numerous EU countries have been on the streets for a long time to protest against, among other things, EU trade agreements, bureaucracy and environmental regulations.
In the EU, farmers are protesting against European agricultural policy.
Among other things, they feel oppressed by bureaucracy and want protection from cheap imports from third countries.
© Benoit Doppagne/dpa
Farmer protests in Brussels against EU agricultural policy – what are the reasons?
Among other things, it's about the fear of cheap imports from third countries and the anger about too many environmental regulations as part of the European Green Deal.
In addition, anger over too much bureaucracy is growing.
“The Federal Statistical Office has calculated that the average farmer spends a quarter of his time at his desk,” said Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) before the meeting in Brussels.
“So our motto has to be: This has to come down urgently.” Get rid of excessive bureaucracy.
Concentration on the essentials.
Field work instead of paper work is the motto of the hour.”
Because of EU farmers' protests: Commission announced easing measures
The EU Commission had already announced that it would accommodate farmers on this point.
The commission wants to start a large-scale survey of all farmers in March.
The online survey is intended to help identify causes of farmers' concerns and administrative burdens.
The Commission also has concrete plans to relax the requirements.
In the future, the number of inspection visits to farms by Member State authorities is to be halved.
The Commission has also suspended a regulation retroactively to January of this year, according to which farmers must leave four percent of arable land unused so that nature can recover there.
The requirement is actually intended to protect the environment.
In order for companies 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.
Because of EU farmers' protests: Commission withdraws pesticide law
In view of the ongoing protests by farmers, the EU Commission also withdrew its proposal for a pesticide regulation.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the regulation had become a symbol of polarization.
According to von der Leyen, the whole thing is not off the table.
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The withdrawn proposal stipulated that farmers would have to significantly limit the use of pesticides in the coming years.
Specifically, according to the Commission proposal, a total of 50 percent fewer pesticides should be used by 2030.
The aim was to curb the extinction of species.
Farmers' protests in Brussels threaten to escalate - barriers and burning tires
But will the EU Commission's reaction and the prospect of easing restrictions tame the farmers' anger?
Farmers expressed their anger in Brussels on Monday, some of them violently.
They set tires on fire, poured manure onto the streets, and pyrotechnics were directed at police officers.
The officers used water cannons.
In addition to loud honking, smaller explosions could also be heard again and again.
Police set up numerous roadblocks around the EU institutions.
The Flemish farmers' association Boerenbond distanced itself from the violent protests.
What was happening in Brussels was a stark contrast to the previously peaceful and safe protests in the country and was not the way to make your voice heard, a spokeswoman for the association told the
Belga agency.
Farmers' association Boerenbond distances itself from violent protests
Farmers protested not only in Brussels.
Polish farmers blocked the highway to Germany at the border near Frankfurt (Oder) for 24 hours.
During the blockade of Autobahn 12, car and truck drivers were diverted to other routes.
There was no traffic chaos at the border crossing.
On Monday afternoon, traffic was able to flow again after the end of the protest, a spokeswoman for the Polish police in Slubice told the
German Press Agency
.
On Sunday (February 25) and Monday morning, trucks, cars and buses had to take diversions because tractors were parked for miles on the Polish side.
Farmers have also announced protests in Madrid.
Around 5,000 farmers are expected in front of the headquarters of the European Commission representation in the afternoon.
(bohy with dpa)