European farmers stopped traffic to express their dismay at their bleak future; the EU responded by offering help

European farmers stopped traffic to express their dismay at their bleak future; the EU responded by offering help

On the eve of a crucial EU meeting, farmers made a step closer to Brussels, demanding higher pricing for their crops and less red tape in their daily business.

On January 31, 2024, an overhead image shows tractors and trucks obstructing the E40 highway in Altar during a farmers' protest.)

Halle, Belgium: In an effort to sabotage commerce at important ports and other economic lifelines, farmers in Belgium, France, and Italy blocked additional roads for transportation on Wednesday. On the eve of a significant EU meeting, they took a step closer to Brussels in their ongoing drive for lower labor costs and better pricing for their goods.

The EU executive Commission's announcement on Wednesday, which protected farmers against cheap exports from war-torn Ukraine and let them to utilize some land left fallow for environmental reasons, was a direct result of the demonstrations. was compelled to.

The ideas represent a swift and symbolic surrender, but member states and Parliament still need to ratify them.

"I simply want to let them know that we do our hardest to pay attention to their worries. "I believe we are currently tackling two of those crucial issues," said Maros Sefcovic, vice president of the EU Commission.

Participating in farm demonstrations around the 27-nation European Union, the rallies highlight the impact of a few hundred tractors on traffic in major cities, ranging from Berlin to Paris, Brussels, and Rome. Protests have caused millions of individuals to experience interruptions, make it difficult for them to go to work, or have their doctor's appointments canceled.

This obviously has a significant economic effect. Sven Peters of ECS Transportation firm at the North Sea port of Zeebrugge, Belgium, said, "Not just for our company, but also for many companies in Flanders and Belgium."

The main event in Belgium is scheduled for this Thursday, when farmers want to demonstrate in front of the EU headquarters while government officials are meeting. They will attempt to get their concerns on the agenda of the summit and demand some accommodations about the financial strain they are under and the growing competition they are facing from far-off nations like Chile and New Zealand.

"It is important. It's up to us to listen to them," said Alexander De Croo, the prime minister of Belgium. "They face huge challenges, from tackling climate change to combating environmental pollution," he added.

The EU presidency is being held by Belgium, and De Croo said that he will bring up the topic during the summit. The original agenda, which was centered on aiding Ukraine after Russia invaded the country over two years ago, did not include the subject.

Due to considerable resistance from EU farmers, French President Emmanuel Macron has said that he intends to obstruct a free trade agreement with the South American nation and would bring up the matter during the summit.

The governments of the European Union are treating the demonstrations, which have been mostly nonviolent, very cautiously, despite enormous inconvenience.

Farmers in Spain were prepared to join the demonstrations as well. In order to demand changes to the EU's very restrictive rules, the three biggest agricultural unions in Spain have decided to stage demonstrations in the next weeks.