A “common exasperation”, says Christiane Lambert, president of the Committee of Professional Agricultural Organizations of the European Union (COPA). Farmers’ protests are increasing across Europe.
From Germany to Romania via France and Spain, they have the feeling of “being imposed” measures that are too drastic, says Christiane Lambert. All denounce the European Green Deal, known as the Green Deal. This plan, which advocates the ecological transition of EU member states, sets objectives for reducing the use of pesticides, developing organic farming and protecting biodiversity.
However, this Green Deal comes in an already tense context for farmers, shaken by extreme climatic events, the surge in their production costs and the commercial consequences of the war in Ukraine.
In France, farmers subject to a drop in their income
In France, it is in Occitanie – first region in terms of agricultural density, according to Chamber of Agriculture – that the tensions are, in recent days, the most palpable. This Saturday, January 20, a camp was set up on the A64 motorway, near Carbonne (Haute-Garonne).
Blockages have also been reported on this highway, between Toulouse and the Basque Country. The Haute-Garonne prefecture authorized drones to fly over the area due to “the risk of disturbances to public order” caused by this gathering.
In addition to the increase in margins from manufacturers and distributors – and, consequently, the drop in their income – farmers denounce competition that they consider unfair from other European countries. They are also facing the problem of irrigation restrictions, after successive droughts in the summer then in the fall of 2023, and standards considered too restrictive.
A few weeks before the launch of the International Agricultural Show, which will be held from February 24 to March 3 in Paris, the executive is attempting moderation. This Friday, Emmanuel Macron thus “asked the Minister of the Interior to instruct the prefects” so that they go “this weekend to meet farmers” and their unions.
Marc Fesneau, Minister of Agriculture, is expected this Saturday at a farm in Cher to discuss “with the operator about his concerns and his problems”, according to his office. At the same time, the president of the National Rally (RN) Jordan Bardella announced his arrival in the Médoc, where he is to meet winegrowers.
In view of the European elections on June 9, the RN is increasing its attempts to seduce farmers – accompanied by barbs aimed at the executive. As evidenced by the tweet, published this Saturday, from the leader of the RN deputies, Marine Le Pen: “We are as always alongside our farmers, abandoned by the government, put through the mill of the EU which overwhelms them with standards, negotiates deadly free trade treaties behind their backs.”
In the Netherlands, farmers flirt with the far right
The far right, new ally of farmers? This seems to be the case in the Netherlands, where the latter have been expressing their discontent since June 2022. As a reminder, the coalition of former liberal Prime Minister Mark Rutte, subject to a decision by the Supreme Court, had announced its desire to reduce livestock numbers by at least 30%, including dairy cows.
The objective: to reduce by 50% emissions of polluting gases produced by agriculture around 163 threatened natural areas. “With, as a corollary, a requirement for radical modification of practices and, potentially, the disappearance of 10,000 to 15,000 farms”, it is specified in The world.
In this country, the world’s second largest exporter of agricultural and agri-food products, the revolt of the agricultural world was not long in coming. Just like its consequences on the political level. During the local elections last March, a very young political group based on the defense of the farmers’ cause came first in the poll, reaching almost 20% of the votes.
“KABBBOUM”, headlined the daily De Telegraaf (conservative), using a play on words based on the name of the big winner of the March 15 provincial elections: the BBB, or BoerBurgerBeweging – in French, the “Citizen Farmer Movement”. “According to the exit polls, the farmers’ party has even suddenly become the largest. The BBB thus deals a massive blow to the traditional parties,” said the Amsterdam daily.
The BBB did not repeat its performance during the legislative elections in November 2023. The party, however, hopes to join the next coalition, alongside far-right populist Geert Wilders. Both denounce the project – now frozen – of the resigned government of Mark Rutte.
Nitrogen at the heart of protests in Belgium
From the Netherlands, tensions have migrated to Flanders, in the north of Belgium, from the spring of 2023. A project by the regional government – which almost led to its downfall – aims to halve nitrogen emissions near the natural zones and devotes 3.6 billion euros to compensating farmers who stop their activity.
“No future without farmers”, or even “No farmers, no food”, chanted the demonstrators, driving some 2,700 agricultural vehicles, on March 3. Some of their farms, considered too polluting, are threatened with closure.
In Flanders, a region of intensive livestock farming, 80% of Natura 2000 zones (supposed to contribute to preserving the biological diversity of species and habitats on EU territory) exceed the authorized nitrogen rate, observes the public media VRT. This greenhouse gas, emitted in particular by fertilizers and livestock effluents, has the effect of acidifying soils and accelerating the proliferation of algae in water.
In Germany, fight against the increase in taxes on agricultural diesel
In Germany, it is also a project of the government of Olaf Scholz which has aroused the ire of operators. In December 2023, the executive decided, in order to complete its budget, to increase taxes on agricultural diesel, thus removing an exemption from which the profession benefited.
The demonstrations, organized throughout the country since the beginning of the year, will resume next week if the government does not amend its plan, as announced by the German operators’ organization. “Anger has been brewing among the peasants for a long time,” notes the German daily Der Tagesspiegel (liberal). And to continue: “The farmers are fed up with it.”
On Monday January 15, truck drivers and craftsmen joined the rally in Berlin. Logistics and transport professionals are demanding, among other things, the cancellation of the increase in tolls and CO2 pricing for their vehicles. But the government coalition, which notably agreed to stagger the removal of the exemption, does not intend to make further concessions at a time when it must save several billion euros in budgetary expenditure to comply with a reminder of order of constitutional judges.
A blockage that arouses the fear of the newspaper Tagszeitung (progressive) who, as in the Netherlands or France, is worried about the links that certain demonstrators have with the extreme right. “For example, the far-right party ‘The Third Way’ is calling for support for the week of protest,” underlines the Berlin daily.
Spanish farmers in the grip of drought
The movement spread to the south of Europe, where Spanish farmers demonstrated in Cordoba on September 5, while the 27 European Ministers of Agriculture were gathered in this city, as part of the Spanish presidency of the EU Council.
“The escalation of production costs”, “the unfair competition from imports from third countries”, “the untenable environmental requirements of the European Commission”… The thousands of protesters also castigate the objectives of the Green Deal which they consider unattainable, so that the country is hit every year by an intense and prolonged drought.
In response, the left-wing government of Pedro Sanchez extended aid for farmers, allowing them to cope with rising fertilizer and diesel prices. In April, the executive announced a 25% reduction in farmers’ income tax.
Ukrainian competition threatens Romanian farmers
In Romania, the mobilization affects more farmers worried about Ukrainian competition which is unbalancing the domestic market. Thus, they accuse the government of favoring low-cost imports of grain from kyiv.
Since the beginning of January, farmers have blocked several border areas of the country, including the large freight port of Constanza. They were joined by truck drivers who are demanding fuel subsidies.
If the authorities initially ignored the demonstrators’ demands, the Minister of Agriculture announced on January 15 that he had reached an agreement with the farmers’ associations. However, the mobilization does not dry up. This is evidenced by the hundred or so goods trucks parked this Friday, January 19, near the Siret border post, in the north of Romania. All are of Ukrainian origin.