Farmers throughout Europe have recently protested against the European Union as a result of bad weather, conflict, and supply chain interruptions. On February 1, farmers blocked the streets with tractors and battled with police outside the European Parliament building, causing outrage. Later that day, France, the continent’s largest agricultural producer, granted concessions, prompting farmers unions to call the demonstrators home. This gave Europeans some hope for peace, but the debate over how to handle the farmers’ problems is likely to continue as political groups compete for power in the European legislative elections in June.
The problem is a complicated network of European agricultural subsidies, land-use rules, transportation licenses, export quotas, and tariffs that differ from those faced by North Americans. Protests in Belgium, France, and Germany have all been significant events.
Anger over Ukraine’s border has played a crucial role in the demonstrations. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine started two years ago, the EU’s attempts to assist the war-torn country have irritated its Eastern European neighbors, who argue that it is unfair for countries bound by EU standards to compete with cheaper products and services from non-EU nations. In November and December, Polish truckers, enraged that Ukrainian carriers were undercutting their pricing, blocked routes to border crossings; Romanian, Slovak, and Bulgarian truckers followed suit.
Farmers in Europe’s two largest agricultural nations started blocking roads in mid-January after their governments revealed plans to phase out diesel tax benefits, which the EU is reducing in order to reach climate objectives. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz proposed to modify the adjustments amid concerns that far-right groups are actively inciting fury. France, too, made concessions and invited farmers to negotiations, but tractor roadblocks in Paris and other cities spread throughout January, putting pressure on newly appointed Prime Minister Gabriel Attal.
Farmers from Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, and other nations met in Brussels for the European Parliament’s meeting on February 1. Protesters set off fireworks near the parliament building, attacked it with eggs and rocks, and attempted to knock down fences surrounding it until police repulsed them with tear gas and water hoses. The situation improved during the afternoon, when tractors started to leave the city. Back in Paris, two of the country’s two largest farmer organizations urged demonstrators to leave after Mr. Attal promised farmers stronger import safeguards and assistance.
Farmers in France claim that the government and retailers’ efforts to reduce food inflation have left many farmers unable to meet high transportation, energy, and fertilizer expenses. Between September 2021 and September 2022, the price of nitrogen, a key component in fertilizer, jumped 149% in the EU. Efforts to assist Ukraine by eliminating restrictions and levies on its exports have sparked worries about unfair competition among farmers in neighboring nations. Negotiations to finalize a trade agreement between the EU and the South American body Mercosur have also sparked concern about unfair competition in sugar, grain, and meat, with Spanish farmers demanding for the talks to end.
The EU implemented new measures aimed at promoting biodiversity and combating climate change, such as mandating farmers to keep 4% of their land fallow. On Wednesday, the commission replied by exempting EU farmers from the need until 2024 while still allowing them to receive EU agricultural assistance subsidies, although they would have to produce crops without using pesticides. The major farmers’ organizations in Spain warn that environmental laws are harming agricultural viability and raising food costs, while demonstrators in France argue that certain climate-focused measures are inconsistent.
Farmers in France are criticizing what they believe is an overly difficult system for adopting new EU standards, citing paperwork and obligations such as restoring hedges and arable land as natural habitat. In March 2023, the EU reacted to farmer concerns over the surge of grain from Ukraine flooding their markets and driving down prices with €56.3 million ($81.9 million) in compensation to impacted farmers.
